Encouraging Safe Exercise in a Heart Disease Patient
Encouraging Safe Exercise in a Heart Disease Patient
When you've been diagnosed with heart disease or have had heart surgery, exercise is an important part of keeping your condition under control.
Check with your doctor about:
My WebMD: Living with Marfan Syndrome
I've always known I wanted to have children, but my husband, Mark, and I did a lot of homework before we decided to try to get pregnant.I have Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects the body's connective tissue. The biggest risk is an enlarged aorta (the major artery taking blood away from the heart). This can lead to an aneurysm (a bulge) or a dissection (a tear) in that artery.To protect their hearts, people with Marfan syndrome must limit contact sports and strenuous activity, as...
Read the My WebMD: Living with Marfan Syndrome article > >
What's safe. Your doctor can let you know what activities are OK for you to do. You may have more options than you think.
Ask your doctor about exercises such as pushups and sit-ups. These exercises involve straining muscles against other muscles or an immovable object. You may need to avoid them.
Heavy lifting. Make sure that lifting and pushing heavy objects, and chores such as raking, shoveling, mowing, and scrubbing, aren't off-limits. Chores around the house can be tiring for some people. Do only what you can do without getting tired.
Medication changes. Some drugs can greatly affect your response to exercise. Your doctor can let you know what, if any, changes you need to make to your exercise plans.
If your exercise program gets interrupted for a few days (due to illness, vacation, or bad weather, as examples), ease back into the routine. Begin with a reduced level of activity, and gradually increase it until you're back where you started.
Stop the exercise if you become overly fatigued or short of breath. Tell your doctor about the symptoms, or schedule an appointment.
Check with your doctor about:
Recommended Related to Heart Disease
My WebMD: Living with Marfan Syndrome
I've always known I wanted to have children, but my husband, Mark, and I did a lot of homework before we decided to try to get pregnant.I have Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects the body's connective tissue. The biggest risk is an enlarged aorta (the major artery taking blood away from the heart). This can lead to an aneurysm (a bulge) or a dissection (a tear) in that artery.To protect their hearts, people with Marfan syndrome must limit contact sports and strenuous activity, as...
Read the My WebMD: Living with Marfan Syndrome article > >
What's safe. Your doctor can let you know what activities are OK for you to do. You may have more options than you think.
Ask your doctor about exercises such as pushups and sit-ups. These exercises involve straining muscles against other muscles or an immovable object. You may need to avoid them.
Heavy lifting. Make sure that lifting and pushing heavy objects, and chores such as raking, shoveling, mowing, and scrubbing, aren't off-limits. Chores around the house can be tiring for some people. Do only what you can do without getting tired.
Medication changes. Some drugs can greatly affect your response to exercise. Your doctor can let you know what, if any, changes you need to make to your exercise plans.
General Workout Tips for People With Heart Disease
- Pace yourself. Don't do too much, too soon. Give your body time to rest between workouts.
- Don't exercise outdoors when it is too cold, hot, or humid. High humidity may make you tire more quickly. Extreme temperatures can interfere with circulation, make breathing difficult, and cause chest pain. Better choices are indoor activities such as mall walking.
- Stay hydrated. Drink water even before you feel thirsty, especially on hot days.
- Skip extremely hot and cold showers or sauna baths after exercise. These extreme temperatures make your heart work harder.
- Don't exercise in hilly areas. If you must walk in steep areas, slow down going uphill to avoid working too hard. Monitor your heart rate closely, and talk to your doctor about what a safe heart rate is for you.
If your exercise program gets interrupted for a few days (due to illness, vacation, or bad weather, as examples), ease back into the routine. Begin with a reduced level of activity, and gradually increase it until you're back where you started.
What to Watch for When Exercising
Stop the exercise if you become overly fatigued or short of breath. Tell your doctor about the symptoms, or schedule an appointment.
Source...