World Physiotherapy has mapped out a four-year public education roadmap spanning 2026 to 2029, with a central focus on non-communicable chronic diseases. The 2026 campaign prioritizes addressing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular conditions, the leading cause of death worldwide.

Identify warning signs and facilitate early intervention: Assess cardiovascular warning signs such as chest tightness, shortness of breath and fatigue after physical activity through clinical assessment, guide high-risk groups to seek medical care promptly, and reduce the risk of acute episodes.

Screen high-risk populations: Conduct cardiopulmonary fitness assessments for middle-aged and elderly people, as well as those with hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, obesity, and sedentary office workers, and classify their health risk levels.

Acute post-operative rehabilitation: Following heart attacks, cardiac bypass or stent procedures, guide bed positioning and breathing & sputum-clearing exercises to prevent pulmonary infection and deep vein thrombosis, enabling a safe transition to early mobilisation.

Cardiopulmonary function reconstruction: Progress gradually from low-intensity bed-based activities and slow walking to structured aerobic training, improve cardiac tolerance, and relieve symptoms such as breathlessness and persistent fatigue with daily activity.

Long-term chronic disease management: Develop gentle home-based exercise programmes for patients with coronary artery disease, heart failure and hypertension to sustain stable vital indicators and reduce the risk of angina pectoris and disease recurrence.

Manage chronic underlying conditions: Develop customised exercise programmes to help stabilise major stroke risk conditions including hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidaemia;

Increase daily physical activity levels: Design walking, stair climbing and simple home-based exercises for sedentary populations and older adults, to address health risks caused by prolonged sitting;

Acute bedridden phase: Correct limb positioning, passive joint mobilisation and turning training to prevent muscle spasticity, pressure injuries, joint deformities and pulmonary complications;

Functional reconstruction during the recovery phase: Strength training, balance training and gait retraining to address hemiplegia, unsteady walking, foot dragging and other impairments, and re-learn independent standing and walking;

Fine motor training: Instrument-based and hand function training for hand stiffness and weak grip strength, to restore basic daily self-care activities such as dressing, eating and drinking;

This year’s theme delivers a simple, practical health message to people of all ages: regular physical activity improves cardiopulmonary function, preserves independent living ability and enhances overall quality of life for children, adults and older adults alike.

However, when people exercise on their own, they often ignore their individual physical conditions, creating multiple hidden health risks. People with hypertension may experience chest tightness and palpitations if they start high-intensity running without guidance; stroke survivors with residual impairments may suffer joint strain injuries from unsupervised training; and unguided exercise can place excessive strain on the heart for people with cardiac disease.

Learn about cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health proactively, regularly assess the exercise capacity of elderly family members and people living with chronic illnesses, and consult professional physiotherapists promptly for rehabilitation needs to obtain personalised safe exercise programmes.