Pulmonary rehabilitation is a comprehensive intervention designed to improve the physical and psychological condition of people with chronic respiratory disease and promote the long-term adherence to health-enhancing behaviours. During the 2013 European Respiratory Society Annual Congress in Barcelona, Spain, a Clinical Year in Review session was held focusing on the latest developments in pulmonary rehabilitation. This review summarises some of the main findings of peer-reviewed articles focusing on pulmonary rehabilitation that were published in the 12 months prior to the 2013 Annual Congress.