What is the best exercise for heart patients

[Shockedwithstent]

Hi, I was wondering what is the best form of exercise of cardiac patients? Is it ok to do weights? Should we be avoiding certain type of exercises ?

I am generally fit but just interested to know following an angioplasty when should we start exercising?

Any thoughts?

Many thanks

[Hidden]

Hi,

Have a chat with your cardiac rehab team, specialist or GP and they should be able to give you some good advice dependant upon your situation. Following my heart bypass earlier this year I missed out on my cardiac rehab due to Covid but I asked about weight training and they were OK with it so long as you take it steady and don't push it. I'm a firm believer in listening to your body so I walked until my sternum healed after which I started jogging, cycling, yoga and heavy bag boxing training (sadly can't do weights as no convenient gym or time but I would if I could). If I have an off day or couple of days where I feel fatigued I rest on those days and don't worry about not exercising. Good luck!

[Shockedwithstent in reply to Hidden]

Many thanks for your feedback -

[gilreid1]

You don’t say when you had procedure? I would have thought you would have been given advice when discharged. I would contact cardio team who delt with you case for advice.

[Sunnie2day]

Until you've spoken with cardiac rehab team (they should be contacting you, er, eventually), the only exercise you should think about taking is a short level ground walk, at a slow pace and not longer than five or ten minutes total. Post-angioplasty the last thing you should be trying is free or any other weight lifting heavier than a half-filled kettle.

If you're months past your angioplasty and still haven't been contacted by the cardiac rehab team, contact your GP to chase that up - you should be on the list for a telephone contact from rehab even now during the pandemic.

You can also rely on the cardiac nurses on the BHF Heart Helpline. The following is the link to their contact details page:

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

Hope this helps, please keep us posted as you go on. And put down the free weights!

[Bigheart58]

I had my stent and ICD eight months ago. Since then I have mainly been walking but have recently started to do some exercises. I was told by a cardiac physio that it’s good to do arm exercises (not necessarily weights) as well as legs. For example, I do some shadow boxing and put my arms out in front of me when getting up from a seated position. The main thing is to listen to your body and not overdo it. Recovery is a slow process.

[vinixxx]

Walking

[Shockedwithstent]

Thank you all very much for your feedback