Early Balance Training Combined With Phase I Cardiac Rehabilitation Following Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A Randomised Controlled Trial Examining the Effects on Balance, Strength and Post-Operative Recovery

Pengelly, J.; Atef, H.; Maged, A.; Ali, H.; El Ghaffar, H.

Abstract

Aim
To determine whether balance training combined with Phase I CR improved balance, strength, hospital length of stay (LOS) and quality of life (QoL) in post-coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) patients beyond Phase I cardiac rehabilitation (CR) alone.
Method
Male CABG patients undergoing surgery at the National Heart Institute (NHI) in Imbaba, Cairo, Egypt were randomly allocated (1:1) to either early balance training plus Phase I CR (CRBalance) or Phase I CR alone (CRAlone). CR commenced within 48-hours postoperatively, consisting of 30-minutes of moderate-intensity respiratory and mobilisation exercises, thrice daily for 7 days. An additional 5 minutes of balance training per session was performed by the CRBalance group. The Berg Balance Scale assessed balance as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes were the five-times sit-to-stand to assess lower limb strength, the Short Form-36 Health Survey to assess QoL and hospital LOS.
Results
Sixty male CABG patients (59.00±3.18 years) participated in the study, with 30 randomised to each intervention. Balance, lower limb strength and QoL significantly improved, irrespective of intervention (p<0.001). However, improvements in balance (79.14% vs 45.24%, p<0.001), lower limb strength (49.66% vs 34.55%, p<0.001), QoL (23.28% vs 11.72%, p<0.001) and LOS (11.47±1.22 days vs 14.93±1.36 days, p<0.001) were significantly greater in the CRBalance group compared to the CRAlone group.
Conclusions
The addition of balance training to Phase I CR, commenced within 48-hours post-operatively, significantly improves balance, lower limb strength and QoL, and reduces LOS, beyond that of Phase I CR alone.

Citation

Pengelly, J., Atef, H., Maged, A., Ali, H., & El Ghaffar, H. (2025, August). Early Balance Training Combined With Phase I Cardiac Rehabilitation Following Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A Randomised Controlled Trial Examining the Effects on Balance, Strength and Post-Operative Recovery. Presented at 73rd Annual Scientific Meeting ofthe Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Abstract
• Conference Name: 73rd Annual Scientific Meeting ofthe Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand
• Start Date: Aug 14, 2025
• End Date: Aug 17, 2025
• Acceptance Date: Aug 7, 2025
• Online Publication Date: Aug 7, 2025
• Publication Date: 2025-08
• Deposit Date: Aug 18, 2025
• Journal: Heart, Lung and Circulation
• Print ISSN: 1443-9506
• Electronic ISSN: 1444-2892
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 34
• Pages: S132-S133
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hlc.2025.06.067
• Public URL: https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/1367453
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1443950625005566?via%3Dihub