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REVIEW article

Front. Med.

Sec. Pulmonary Medicine

Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1659818

This article is part of the Research TopicComplex Interplay Between Lung Diseases and Multisystem Disorders: Pathogenesis, management, and OutcomeView all 3 articles

Rehabilitation Applications and Progress in Managing Pulmonary Hypertension

Provisionally accepted
Yuyan  LiuYuyan Liu1Xiao  GuoXiao Guo1Panpan  LiuPanpan Liu2Shuying  JiaShuying Jia3Fang  WangFang Wang3Fei  LiFei Li4*Ping  YuanPing Yuan3*Xuejing  WangXuejing Wang1*
  • 1Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, China
  • 2Bioenvironmental Science program, Morgan State University, Baltimore, United States
  • 3Department of Cardio-Pulmonary Circulation, Innovation and Incubation Center (IIC), Shanghai pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
  • 4Department of Radiology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a significant global health challenge that profoundly impacts exercise tolerance and quality of life for affected individuals. While advancements in pharmacological therapies have improved symptom management, exercise capacity, and overall well-being, there is a growing recognition of rehabilitation therapy as a promising non-pharmacological approach.Rehabilitation therapy aims to restore or enhance physical, psychological, and social functioning in individuals compromised by disease, injury, or congenital conditions through an integrated approach encompassing medical, social, and educational interventions. In the context of PH, rehabilitation therapy encompasses diverse modalities, including exercise training, inspiratory muscle training, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, and psychological support. These interventions target key symptoms such as exercise intolerance and dyspnea, with the goal of improving patient outcomes and fostering a return to independent and meaningful living. Emerging evidence demonstrates that rehabilitation therapy is both safe and effective in enhancing cardiopulmonary function, muscle strength, and exercise capacity. Furthermore, it has been shown to alleviate anxiety and depression, improve quality of life, and facilitate reintegration into familial and social roles. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the clinical features, prevalence, and current treatment landscape of PH, with a particular focus on the role and advancements in rehabilitation therapy. We discuss the therapeutic potential of rehabilitation therapy in addressing the multifaceted challenges of PH and explore future directions and innovative approaches in this evolving field. By highlighting the clinical utility and research progress of rehabilitation therapy, this review aims to offer new insights and perspectives for optimizing the management of PH and improving patient outcomes.

Keywords: pulmonary hypertension, Rehabilitation, Exercise limitation, Exercise, Quality of Life

Received: 04 Jul 2025; Accepted: 04 Aug 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Liu, Guo, Liu, Jia, Wang, Li, Yuan and Wang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence:
Fei Li, Department of Radiology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
Ping Yuan, Department of Cardio-Pulmonary Circulation, Innovation and Incubation Center (IIC), Shanghai pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
Xuejing Wang, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, China

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