Is a resistance exercise program following cardiac surgery safe and acceptable?

Participants will engage in light to moderate upper and lower limb resistance exercises using no or minimal equipment such as body weight resistance elasticated exercise bands under supervision during three supervised sessions: one during week 2, one during week 6 and one during week 10 post-cardiac surgery. Each session will be 45 minutes in duration. The participants will not be asked to undertake these exercises at any other time during the study period. The exercises will be undertaken one-on-one under the supervision of a physiotherapist. The exercises include bicep curls, shoulder flexion to 90 degrees, shoulder external rotation (with arms by the side), upright row, sit to stands, knee extensions, hamstring curls, calf raises, hip abduction and hip extension. At the week 10 session an additional exercise, wall pushups, will be added to the exercise protocol. Participants will perform 8-12 repetitions of each exercise at no greater than moderate intensity (5-6 out of 10 rating of perceived exertion or 4 repetitions in reserve). The primary objective of the study is to determine safety by measuring the amount of sternal edge movement occurring during the upper limb exercises at the three post-operative timepoints (weeks 2, 6 and 10). To assess sternal edge movement, during the upper limb exercises, the supervising physiotherapist will take ultrasound imaging recordings for analysis at a later stage to determine the amount of sternal edge movement taking place during each upper limb exercise. The supervising physiotherapist and the rest of the research team have all been trained in undertaking ultrasound sternal imaging. Secondary outcome measures to determine safety are pain and cardiovascular responses.