At the start of my weekly Pilates class (which I do for a sore back) I had a fast heart rate (112bpm) but went ahead with it (having informed the instructor).
I took it easy but after 30 mins my fit bit said I had AFib so I just lay there until the end of the session.
The AF carried on all day but the heart rate gradually reduced to about 74bpm when I went to bed.
All was OK the next morning.
Should I not have done the Pilates class when my heart rate was at 112bpm?
What action should I have done when the Afib started during the Pilates exercises? Sit up?
Written by
RonSym
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Personally speaking if I was in Tachycardia before starting any exercise and couldn't slow my heart rate down below 100bpm by sitting and breathing for ten minutes, I wouldn't take the chance of doing the class.I'd try sitting and breathing with a cool drink first , just in case the higher heart rate had happened while I was exerting myself or if I'd been dashing about to prepare, in which case a temporary raised heart beat could have been understandable and would settle by taking a moment to relax.
If I'd also felt any of my usual symptoms like , being on edge and uneasy, hyper alert , mild breathlessness, distracted concentration or lightheadedness despite calming my heart down I'd probably not take the chance either.
Of course , the AF could have been about to begin anyway which is why your heart beat was raised but the exertion of doing the class won't have helped , or could have been the trigger.
I think it's really important to listen to our bodies to help manage heart symptoms of any sort, and especially before exercise. I'm in the routine now of checking my heart rate and BP on my BP Cuff Monitor rather than the watch just to help work out what exercise or level exertion would be more suitable for me to do that day.
My AF and Arrhythmias developed because I also have another heart problem called Sinus Node Reentrant Tachycardia which causes me Chronic Dysautonomia and P.O.T.S so dealing with Tachycardia even when I'm not in AF is something I have to manage 24/7.
Take care , it's all very individual and learning your own system of Self Care is quite a learning curve, Bee
I do reformer Pilates and always wear my Apple Watch and check HR at the start. I put it on Pilates mode and occasionally look at HR to make sure it’s not out of the norm. If I notice it getting to 130 during the session I slow up. Been doing it for a couple of years and so far so good
I had to give up Pilates around the time my AF started but continued with my Tai Chi sessions for a while until that, too, brought on AF episodes. But I think my chronic fatigue started around the same time so both contributed to the end of my previous active life style. Guess, at 79 I am fortunate to still be around! That seems to be my doctor’s attitude!!
Oh that is a shame that you can't do your Tai Chi either.Have you tried chair based Tai Chi or Qui Gong ?
It seems to be less of a trigger because often it's the effect of changing your position too quickly ( lying to sitting , sitting to standing ) that can cause the biggest swing in your heart rate and then that swing can be a trigger.
My daughter and I still manage with chair based sessions. Age isn't a factor in our CFS and Tachycardia problems , as she's only 21 and I started to get more severe episodes from my early 40's.
I’m sure I’ve replied but as it doesn’t seem to be here- thanks for the encouragement to do the seated versions which I’ve been meaning to do. I’ll take another look when I’ve recovered from the swollen arms from the flu and coved jabs I had on Saturday!
Yes. It's usually a good idea to take a week off exercise classes after having a vaccination anyway.Your system is pretty busy creating antibodies so doing strenuous activity can cause you to trigger symptoms of preexisting conditions or make you feel nausea or dizziness. People with no preexisting conditions can get these symptoms too.
It's worth trying any new class or exercise routine for short taster sessions first , about 10 minutes , just to build yourself up. It's also a good idea to go with someone else or try out online classes with a friend at home to reduce risk. After the taster sessions do a couple of half class sessions and so on. Drink water before. after and during classes walks or sessions between to reduce the rise in heart rate. Breath regularly and deeply and listen to your body to have a few minutes rest when you need to . And if you are in a class make sure you tell your instructor about your illness.
Sadly, I had to pack in the online zoom Tai Chi sessions that I started as part of someone’s PhD thesis to discover whether Tai Chi helped with AF! Even sitting down was not too easy for me, but mostly because the instructor’s accent was difficult to understand and she did it to “music” which made it even more difficult and was not what happened at the previous class I had attended!
Yes, I don't understand that , the whole point of Tai Chi is to be relaxed and at one with the natural sensations of your surroundings. I think the person whom was doing that study had a good research idea but might have done better if they'd learnt a little more about the essence of Tai Chi.
Qui Gong for chair based users might be a good place for you to start again. It is very relaxed and teaches you great breathing techniques which are useful in controlling Tachycardia.
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