What puts your cardiovascular health at risk?
If it’s been a while since you’ve thought about your heart health, this is your gentle nudge. If you’d like support getting active safely (spoiler alert: one of the most powerful things you can do to reduce your risk) give Philip Wood Physiotherapy a call on 9838 3030 to book an appointment with our physiotherapy team. As always, we recommend speaking with your GP about any concerns related to your cardiovascular health, as many risk factors benefit from medical monitoring and management alongside an active lifestyle.
We often think about heart disease as something that happens suddenly – a heart attack out of nowhere, chest pain that appears without warning, or bad luck written into the family tree.
But cardiovascular disease usually builds quietly over time.
Your cardiovascular system includes the heart and blood vessels. It’s responsible for moving oxygen and nutrients around the body, keeping every tissue supplied with what it needs to function. Like any hardworking system, it performs best when it’s looked after consistently.
So what increases the risk of cardiovascular disease?
Blood pressure
High blood pressure means the force of blood pushing against your artery walls stays higher than it should. Over time, that extra pressure can strain both the heart and blood vessels. It often has no obvious symptoms, which is why it’s worth checking regularly.
Which, unfortunately, means your arteries are out here living a full Queen tribute act – “pressure pushing down on me, pressing down on you” – and nobody even asked for the encore.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol itself isn’t the villain – your body actually needs it. But when certain types become too high, plaque can build inside the arteries. This narrows the space blood has to flow through, making the heart work harder.
Smoking
Smoking affects circulation, damages blood vessels, and reduces the oxygen carried in the blood. Even small reductions or quitting later in life can make a meaningful difference to heart health.
Physical inactivity
This is where physios start paying close attention.
Regular movement helps the heart become stronger and more efficient. It can also support healthy blood pressure, cholesterol, weight management, sleep, and stress levels all at once.
That doesn’t mean training for a marathon. (Unless you want to – we’re not going to yuck your yum!)
But walking more, climbing stairs, gardening, resistance training, swimming, dancing in the kitchen while dinner cooks – it all counts.
Diabetes
High blood sugar can damage blood vessels over time, increasing the risk of cardiovascular complications. Managing diabetes well can reduce that load on the heart.
Stress, sleep, and lifestyle habits
Heart health isn’t only about exercise or food. Poor sleep, chronic stress, excess alcohol, and long stretches of sitting can all contribute over time.
The good news? Small changes add up.
As physiotherapists, we often work with people on movement because movement is one of the most practical and powerful tools we have. Not because exercise needs to be extreme – but because it can be realistic, consistent, and tailored to your body.
If getting started feels overwhelming, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Call Philip Wood Physiotherapy on 9838 3030 to book an appointment. We can help you find a safe and sustainable way to move for your long-term health. If you have any existing cardiovascular risk factors or concerns, it’s worth checking in with your GP first so we can work together to support your health safely.