Reclaiming Movement After Childhood Surgery: A Journey of Embodiment and Trust

Childhood heart surgery is not just a medical procedure; it can profoundly reshape a young person’s connection to their body and movement. For many, finding a pathway to physical activity can feel emotionally challenging.

This piece was inspired when I was in yoga the other day and I had a physical memory of how I felt swimming as a young person who had had ongoing medical interventions including assessments, surgeries and procedures. I didn’t know in my 10 year old brain that my experience of noticing and worrying about every little sensation in my body was health anxiety. My nervous system was on high alert even in swimming pools and when I would feel my breath’s response to the physical challenge it felt scary to me. 

It was easier to put a brace on my knee (which may have been a little sore) to slow me down than to explain something I couldn’t grasp myself. I didn’t know how much my body held onto and how my overactivated nervous system was scanning for danger. How could I? I was supposed to be enjoying my swimming lesson like everyone else.

Now it makes sense as to why I chose sports where there was limited cardio. I loved syncro and diving and gymnastics where I could feel the strong insides of my body, but not the feeling of panic that came with high exertion. 

This shows up with many of my clients of all ages after medical trauma. There can be a change in trust of our bodies or a fear of inner sensations -even if they are healthy responses like breathing harder, sore muscles or an increase in heart rates. It is an experience that is talked a lot about as a physical recovery process, but the emotional recovery is sometimes misunderstood or unnamed or hidden inside of us.

The idea of interoception, a kind of inner perception is a doorway into these inner sensations. Sometimes, there can be fear or panic when these sensations are felt, even if it is a healthy body response. For me, it was my relationship with breath and for others it could be other inner cues like tension or movement that reminds their body of physical or emotional medical experiences. 

This post explores how to support children in reconnecting with their body, feeling trust in their inner sensations and their interoception and having a positive relationship with exercise after medical experiences. Family members, counsellors, teachers and caregivers can attune to this experience and support the complex relationship a child or teen might have to movement and exercize. With that support, it is more likely that body movement can become a source of joy and empowerment again or for the first time. 

Understanding Embodiment

Embodiment is about being fully aware of, connected  and engaged with our bodies. For those who have undergone major surgery, especially in early life, reconnecting with the physical self can be a complex journey. The experiences of surgeries and other medical traumas  may create a disconnect between the mind and body, sometimes leading to anxiety, fear, or body image concerns.

A systematic review published in BMC Pediatrics found that children who underwent open-heart surgery often experience long-term psychological effects, including emotional difficulties and reduced self-esteem (Latal et al., 2009).  How children relate to physical activity and movement directly connects to their experience of embodying joy and connection with movement. 

Recognizing this is important for parents, counsellors and teachers as children and teens may not always be aware of this or  articulate their fears or frustrations. Attuning to this sometimes quiet experience can honour the child or teen’s story and support their own embodied experience of not only medical recovery, but also emotional healing.

Mindful Movement

For me, yoga deepened my relationship with the inner sensations that used to fill me with panic and worry. It was a long journey back to trusting my own heartbeat and body. 

Mindfulness can significantly increase the sense of embodiment. It helps individuals become more aware of bodily sensations, emotions, and energy levels during physical activity—making movement feel more grounded and less intimidating.

Practices like yoga, breathwork, or tai chi offer gentle reintroduction to the body. Mindful movement also provides a safe space for parents, teens and children to reconnect—simply breathing together, stretching, or walking in silence can become a shared act of healing and presence.

The Importance of Parental Support and Attunement

After heart surgery, children (and parents) may have difficulty gauging what’s “normal” in terms of energy or physical ability. Research in Cardiology in the Young found that most children show steady improvement in physical capacity over time, but that psychological readiness often lags behind (Majnemer et al., 2006). This means emotional encouragement is just as important as physical training.

Parental involvement plays a critical role in how children recover and re-engage with their bodies after heart surgery. A UK multicenter study published in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery found that children who had complications post-surgery showed lower physical quality of life, but parental mental health and attunement significantly influenced how children perceived their own recovery (Brown et al., 2021).

Another qualitative study in JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting explored parents’ emotional experiences after their child’s heart surgery. It highlighted that many caregivers struggled with feelings of helplessness, but also noted how those who adopted a supportive and empowering stance helped their children feel safer and more capable during recovery (Page et al., 2018).

What can this look like in practice?

• Acknowledging your teen or child’s experience including their fears 

• Celebrating small victories in movement (e.g., “I noticed how you listened to your body and rested today or your heart must have worked hard -it must be beating a little stronger is it?”)

• Allowing your teen or child to lead when it comes to exploring new activities. Honour what they are interested in trying

• Avoiding pressure, and instead creating a calm, encouraging environment

• Model your own relationship with your inner body sensations by sharing your emotions and experiences  when trying a new experience 

Finding Joy in Movement

Reclaiming movement can feel joyful and scary. It can feel many things!. For each teen and child, it is so different in what they will find embodiment in. Activities like dancing, swimming, or group movement classes can foster creativity, connection, and freedom. These types of movement also tend to be less competitive, which can be beneficial for children recovering from the stress of medical interventions and have been shown to boost emotional well-being and body confidence in pediatric cardiac patients (Latal et al., 2009). Whether it's a community dance class or family bike ride, joyful movement helps children redefine their body not as something broken, but something strong, expressive, and uniquely theirs.

Listening to Your Body- Interoception

How to listen to the body—to recognize signs of fatigue, discomfort, or emotional overwhelm. Helping your child develop this skill requires patience. Encourage them to pause when they need to, and validate that knowing when to rest is a form of strength, not weakness.

Interoception is a special kind of perception

Embracing the Journey

The journey of reclaiming movement after childhood heart surgery is not linear. There will be times of progress, setbacks, fear, and triumph. What matters most is approaching the journey with lots of deep breaths, compassion, curiosity, and patience.

For parents, this means showing up as an attuned presence: offering structure without pressure, encouragement without expectation, and love without condition. Your child’s healing is not just physical—it’s emotional, mental, and deeply relational.

Reconnecting with the body and movement after childhood heart surgery can lead to lasting improvements in both physical and emotional health. By embracing mindfulness, setting realistic goals, finding joy, and building a supportive environment, individuals—and their families—can cultivate a more embodied, resilient, and empowered relationship with exercise.

Your child’s body has already done something extraordinary. With your support, they can learn to trust it again and embody the feeling of thriving!

References (select studies)

• Latal, B., et al. (2009). Psychological adjustment and quality of life in children and adolescents following open-heart surgery. BMC Pediatrics, 9(1), 6.

• Majnemer, A., et al. (2006). Health and well-being of children with congenital cardiac malformations after surgery. Cardiology in the Young, 16(2), 176–182.

• Brown, K. L., et al. (2021). Morbidities After Cardiac Surgery: Impact on Children’s Quality of Life and Parents’ Mental Health. The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.

• Page, B. M., et al. (2018). Parents’ experiences of caring for their child after cardiac surgery: Qualitative study. JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting.