[Effect of physical training on children after reconstructive heart surgery]

The authors composed a programme of physical training for children with congenital valvular defect. The training programme was applied before and after the heart operation. Two years after a successful reconstructive heart operation the fitness condition of 40 children was examined. The average age of the children was 8.0 +/- 3.6 years. Twenty of the children participated and 20 did not participate in the programme. The physical condition of the children who took part in the training was found to be significantly better than that of the others without training.