Cardiopulmonary physiotherapy supports people with lung or heart conditions and those recovering after chest or heart surgery. Breathlessness can make even a short walk tiring, and many patients become afraid to move, which weakens the body further. Breathing exercises and graded activity help break this cycle.

At a physiotherapy hospital in Mumbai, treatment starts with checking breathing pattern, oxygen level, chest movement and how much effort the patient expends. Simple breathing exercises teach the lungs to expand fully and the breathing muscles to work more efficiently. Techniques to clear mucus help people with chest infections or long-term lung disease breathe more freely, and gentle walking builds stamina step by step.

The therapist works closely with the treating doctor. Pulse, oxygen level and symptoms are watched during exercise, and the programme is stopped or adjusted if chest pain, dizziness or unusual breathlessness appears. Patients are taught how to pace their activities so that daily tasks, such as climbing stairs, bathing and carrying groceries, feel more manageable. Stopping smoking and staying active are encouraged as part of recovery.

Cardiopulmonary services at Apex include:

• Breathing Exercises: Teaching slow, deep and controlled breathing that lowers breathlessness and helps the lungs expand, useful after chest infections, in asthma, in long-term lung disease and during recovery from surgery.
• Airway Clearance Techniques: Positioning, huffing and coughing techniques that help loosen and clear mucus from the chest, making breathing easier at night and lowering the risk of repeated chest infections.
• Heart-Safe Exercise Programmes: Graded walking and strengthening for people recovering from a heart attack or heart surgery, with monitoring of pulse, blood pressure and symptoms, and advice on safe activity levels at home.
• Chest Care After Surgery: Early breathing, coughing and mobility exercises that help prevent lung collapse, chest infection and blood clots after major operations, with support over the wound to reduce pain when coughing.