OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of the self-monitoring of physical activity by hospitalized cardiac patients attending phase I cardiac rehabilitation (CR). DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: University hospital CR program. PARTICIPANTS: CR patients (n = 126) with a mean age 59.1 years. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomly assigned to the self-monitoring group (group A; n = 63) or the control group (group B; n = 63). Along with CR, group A patients performed self-monitoring of their physical activity at the beginning of a phase I CR program (acute in-hospital phase for inpatients) and ending just before they began a phase II CR program (post-discharge recovery phase for outpatients). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Physical activity (averages of daily number of steps taken and daily energy expenditure for 1 week) as measured by accelerometer was assessed in both groups at baseline (T1) and before the beginning of phase II CR (T2). RESULTS: Although there were no significant differences in physical activity values between groups A and B at T1, values of group A at T2 were significantly higher than those of group B (8,609.6 versus 5,512.9 steps, p < 0.0001; 242.6 versus 155.9 kcal, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Self-monitoring of patient physical activity from phase I CR might effectively increase physical activity level in preparation for entering a phase II CR program. Results of the present study could contribute to the development of new strategies for the promotion of physical activity in cardiac patients.

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