Home-based high intensity exercise is a good, efficient and quick form of rehabilitation for heart patients.

Recovery from a heart attack can be quite time-consuming depending on the severity of the attack. Irrespective of the size, a rapid rehabilitation is essential to speed up the recovery process.

Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) examined many rehabilitation programs and found home-based high intensity exercise to be the most effective.

Previous studies conducted on similar topics focused mainly on high-intensity interval training conducted in laboratories where patients and the intensity of their exercise were carefully monitored. Researchers of the study found that the same benefits of this training can be reaped at home too, according to a press release.

To prove their statement, a trial study was conducted in both home-based and clinical rehabs. The cardiac rehabilitation program with interval training lasted 12 weeks. Ninety patients with heart disease were part of this randomized trial where they were assigned either to group exercise, treadmill exercise or home-based training. The level of fitness was measured by oxygen uptake of each individual.

In the first observation, researchers found that individuals assigned to the treadmill group increased their fitness compared to those who exercised at home. This was mainly because people exercising at home didn't follow the exercise program given to them.

However, when only the people who followed the exercise program to the T were considered, there wasn't a significant difference in oxygen uptake between the groups, whether they exercised at home or at the clinic rehab.

Similar oxygen uptake measurements were taken one year down the line and researchers found that the readings were way higher than those taken at the start of the 12 week exercise program.

Another significant observation made in the study was that patients who exercised at home for the 12 weeks of the study indulged in physical activities more frequently than those who exercised at the hospital.

As important as exercising is to recover from heart attacks, victims need to keep a few things in mind so that their work-out regime doesn't have negative impacts on their health, according toMedical News Today.

One of the factors includes balancing exercising with rest. Cardiac patients should also avoid isometric exercises such as push-ups and sit-ups. Isometric exercises involve straining muscles against other muscles or an immovable object. While exercising it is also important to keep the body hydrated and patients should also avoid too hot or too cold showers after working out.