Pilates and Afib

[Lonelytraveller]

Hey All,

You know mild exercise is not ruled out and indeed recommended for people with Afib and with heart disease at large. Yoga being the mostly referred as a particularly good exercise in Afib due to its regulatory effect on breath and destressing the body. I have been ablated for Afib and Tachycardia. Now five months past and my follow-on examination was good. My EP did not limit any exercise and said I was good to do all, including push-ups. I have no serious or remarkable Afib symptoms. I decided to start exercise lately, preferably yoga. Yet my only available option is Pilates (similar but more on stretching and core strength work as opposed to breath and body alignment). I have taken the classes now for more than 2 weeks. Apart from excessive sweating I have no difficulty in following the exercise and I think it is taking almost 1-2 hours for my pulse to get to normal, from 90s immediately after the exercise to 70 s in 2 hours.

My question would be, Is there anyone who is practicing /experienced Pilates with an Afib condition ? I know we are not supposed to stress our body, lift anything heavy or limit breath movements. Though none of these are present in Pilates, it may be challenging at times due to lifting own body and making core exercise. I feel I have to make more effort than I should make otherwise. Yet I feel better due to the overall body exercise. Can anyone with an idea of Pilates help me with this? Can I be undermining the newly enhanced heart condition with some extra exertion on the heart ?

[CDreamer]

I’ve practised Pilates for 20 years with no problems. The only exercise I was careful with when in AF was downward dog as I have very low BP.

I still do Pilates most days but at home as can’t find a good class nearby so switched back to Tai Chi.

I really can’t see there could possibly be any question of a problem as it’s slow controlled exercises, not like weightlifting which I would be careful of.

[Gumbie_Cat]

I do a mixture of Pilates learned a while back, and some exercises recommended by my chiropractor. All quite gentle, though it took me some work to be able to do the ‘dead bug’ 😂

I don’t think there’s anything that would set of my A Fib. (That usually happens when I’m in bed, or once it was after dinner.)

I do wonder how long I will need to wait after my catheter ablation - I’m on a waiting list. I know I will need to take it easy, but these gentle exercises really help with back pain.

I’ve also learned Nordic walking - finding it very good for my back and posture,

[Dippy22]

Hi. It’s interesting that your question came up today as I too have AFib and am attending a Pilates class (for the first time in quite a while) later this week.

In your question you mention the importance of breath work and it’s essential you do this whilst doing the Pilates exercises. Especially when “locking” the core it’s REALLY important that you keep the ribs moving and breathing steadily too. It’s very easy to stop breathing! It takes a bit of practice. I’ve found that if your core is on the weak side, then you can tend to ‘lock’ the entire torso from shoulder to pelvis in order to “pull the shape”, as I call it.

Take it steady and if it feels uncomfortable in any way then stop.

On a positive note, any exercise to strengthen the heart and tone the body is better than none.

I’m off to the gym now for some cross trainer and strengthening work.

Jill

[Barny12]

I don't think there are any hard and fast rules regarding which exercise regime is right for AF sufferers. Everyone's body may react differently to stresses and strains.

For example, I know yoga is well regarded as a gentle exercise and I have always enjoyed it, but my heart hates it! Any forward bend/stretch sets off my ectopics and if continued brings on AF.

I would listen to your body, and if you find you're "sweating excessively", finding it "challenging at times" and if it takes 2 hours for your heart rate to come back to normal I would think you already know the answer. Maybe start, for example, tai chi this year and work up to pilates next year?

As a way to measure perceived exertion during exercise, have a look at the Borg Scale:

cdc.gov/physicalactivity/ba...

[john-boy-92]

I was a gym bunny and regularly did both Pilates (including with equipment) and yoga, with a long history of atrial fibrillation and flutter. I eventually had a stroke as my EP said that I didn't need anticoagulants. I had a brilliant neurologist who told me that she had treated someone who had a stroke whilst doing yoga. I mentioned that my stroke was two days after a hard gym sesion and that I regularly cooled down with yoga exercises including shoulder stand, candle and plough. She told me that she advised people not to do inverted poses, except legs up the wall pose, and not to do weights. Not doing weights was a good idea, as I had done machine leg presses resulted in bilateral inguinal hernias and a femoral hernia (three hernias) that required a mesh insert. Since then I've covered over 2000km on my rowing machine, but I rarely do Pilates and yoga.

[minidoxie]

hi,

i do a weight training zoom class. we use weights for working triceps, biceps, chest and legs (squats) . what is the thinking with respect to weights being bad for afib?

[Lonelytraveller in reply to minidoxie]

Hey Minidoxie,

Not quite know the mechanism, but I think putting the arms and the chest under pressure, equally straining the heart with weight and more importantly the keeping your breath while lifting weights may be counter productive. But this is my explanation. And the heaviness should be important, you may be exercising with moderate weights... I suggest you search for medical info, but I have read numerous times that lifting heavy weights are not good if you have a heart issue. Good luck.

[Fryguy]

I lift weights and strength train, I find it easier than any cardio but I am trying to do more of that as well . Sometimes I go into afib but I keep going as it comes and goes during exercise but for me I need to push through because I need the exercise for my mental health which is as as important as physical. I love it and will never give it up and I have never been told to either... Do what you can when you can is my motto . Take care 🙂