Assessing physical activity as a core component in cardiac rehabilitation : a position statement of the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Physical inactivity is a well-established major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. As such, physical activity counseling is 1 of the 10 core components of cardiac rehabilitation/secondary prevention programs recommended by the American Heart Association and the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR). In addition, the ability to perform a physical activity assessment and report outcomes is 1 of the 10 core competencies of cardiac rehabilitation/secondary prevention professionals published by the AACVPR. Unfortunately, standardized procedures for physical activity assessment of cardiac rehabilitation patients have not been developed and published. Thus, the objective of this AACVPR statement is to provide an overview of physical activity assessment concepts and procedures and to provide a recommended approach for performing a standardized assessment of physical activity in all comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation programs following the core components recommendations.