I found that there was little or no guidance on exercise after my cardiac arrest (unsurprising as we were in the middle of a pandemic) and nothing on YouTube other than rather dated, uninspring videos from people who didn't really understand what a person with broken ribs and severe pain after CPR was capable of. Now, I know everyone is different and some go back to work or back in the gym after only a matter of days/weeks. Two years on, I still suffer occasional bouts of often debilitating pain in my chest and for the last year have not exercised - even yoga - yes, yoga, puts too much strain on my upper torso. What is other people's experience of finding some form of exercise tailored to heart patients? I'd be glad to hear if you found Rehab classes useful or something online that helped.
Exercise after a Cardiac Arrest and H... - British Heart Fou...
Exercise after a Cardiac Arrest and Heart Attack
Dear Flummoxedlou,
Indeed as your post stated we are all individuals and saying that means that you must find out from your Dr/heart team what sort and form of exercises are suitable for you.
I was a gym person before my happening and now I have been advised that most of the old exercises that I used to do are no longer possible even yoga, basic sit ups and the list went on.
Now I will listen to someone that has more knowledge than me but even after paying for extensive physio tests the conclusions were the same { wasted my money and should have had more trust in the NHS }
It was a year ago for the bypass and six months for the pacemaker { give or take } and I still have not got past the first telephone assessment and onto a re-hab course.
My Cardiologist and the hospital team of physiotherapists said that running was the best thing for me { not swimming } so run I do. Its a selfish, self focusing time out for me that I hated when I started, but once my mind was zoned into it I began to gain the benefits that I wanted { fitter, leaner, sense of doing something to help my medical condition } I find that running alone helps me cope with the mental side of recovery.
It is very important that you find out exactly what you can and can't do, many don't take that advice, but you asking the question in your post, tells me you are not one of them.
Chase your Re-Hab ask your Dr for help being referred to a specialist trainer or for fitness tests on the NHS.
You have taken your first step, maybe soon you will run past me, please say hello
Thanks for your reply - I'm afraid my dodgy knees will prevent me running anywhere and the angina has put paid to anything that sends my heart rate soaring. I suppose I was mainly wondering where others had found any type of exercise for us with limited ability specifically due to our 'heart incidents', other than for 'old people' - which I don't consider myself - rather more in the 'evening of my years' at 63 and previously exceptionally fit. It was that expertise that I found missing. I find that even the physical trainers I meet don't know the specific limitations or problems that a heart problem sufferer has. I guess I was wondering if someone had found, perhaps online, some heart specific guidance/training/exercise regime. Happy running!
i was going to say aqua, but if you get pain when your heart rate goes p that's probably out. You could try just walking up and down swimming pool, if you find one that is not too deep. You get the benefits of resistance but it doesn't put a strain on the knee.
I love swimming! Sadly, another thing that I have had to give up. It is all about the chest pain with me since the CPR and combined with angina. When I think about it too much, I can't help but feel my life has become awfully limited. The upside is I'm about to publish my second book - sitting on my bum all day long has paid off in some small ways!
Hello 
I am going to put a link on that you might find useful or may not but worth taking a look
If you press on watch on You tube in the black box it will also take you on You tube and there are lots more to the right side of the page once on there x
I have found the BHF programmes very useful after the Dread Plague stopped my rehab classes. The advice the heart nurse gave me was exercise until you are out of breath, but still able to converse. And don't omit a warm-up.
Hi Rufus, what you say highlights the differences between different conditions and the status of each of us after a heart event. My consultant actually told me not to take my heart rate over 80 - I don't think it has got anywhere near that as the angina stops me in my tracks. Perhaps our guidance should be tailored a bit more. When you think about it, so many of us with heart problems and a huge variety of conditions with different abilities.
Given what you have told us I would have thought walking was an ideal form of exercise for you, perhaps as a starting point to try other things. Walking will get your heart rate up but not excessively, you being in control, and will not put a great deal of stress on your upper body or your knees. Set aside a few minutes each day to start with and increase the time as you progress, and find some inspiring walks in the countryside at the weekends. And a good pair of walking boots and a waterproof coat will allow you to get out in all weathers.
Hi Lowerfield,
Yes, I do walk, the dogs demand that I do however, I walk at a slow pace due to the angina which is mingled in with a fear of the worst. Throwing the ball for the younger dog results in agonising pain by the time I get home. Thats part of my problem, ongoing pain. But, I am lucky, I live in the country with some fantastic walks. I just have to make sure I stay within view of people for fear of collapse in an isolated area.
Hello Flummoxedlou. Oh thank you for writing about this I have been trying to find out this too. I had triple by pass surgery back in 2015 and got loads of support with exercise and getting back on my feet. I built up the walking over a period of time to a good marching pace and with my little dog in tow we walk for miles each day around the coast where I live. Then a month ago i suffered an out of hospital Cardiac Arrest. This time on discharge absolutely no advice or support at all. And I can’t find any info on what exercise I can resume and even worse I have found my pace of walking for even a few yards starts an angina pain that I have not had for the last 8 years since my by pass. I am just coping with the rib pain but finding the increase in meds doseage is keeping me limited. I don’t know now am I meant to be trying to work my heart a bit to keep plumbing healthy Or sit at home sedated to stop my heart from over working ?? And have had to call consultant and ask for a consultation 4 weeks to wait I might add, otherwise I would not have even been bothered with. I am very confused and admit a little scared of what the future now looks like than I was before.
Hi Swalecliffe, that sounds very familiar. I find the exercise videos that I have found are lacking in any information or variation as per various conditions. And the confusion on whether to exercise and push myself or not was lacking. I had to learn to my cost that the angina would kick in before I stretched much, let alone got my heartbeat over 70ish. So, I have had to try a sort of yoga-light without any chest stretching or pressure but I'm not sure I'm doing the right thing. Good luck Swalecliffe.
Have you contacted the cardiac nurse at the hospital, or asked about Cardiac Rehab?
Hi Digger, yes, I've had quite a lot of contact with them but due to being in lockdown, I have never had any face to face or on-site instruction from them. They are all lovely at Papworth and of course the pandemic didn't help matters. I'm back in contact with them again now so you never know.
yes no rehab only for people recovering from a heart attack and anyway still not doing any face to face groups. Cardiac nurse!!! No services working in my area as these would have been my first port of call.
"Cardiac rehabilitation (cardiac rehab for short) helps you get back to as full a life as possible after a cardiac event such as a heart attack, heart surgery or stent procedure." bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo... Tell them your cardiac arrest was a heart attack! cardiac-rehabilitation.net/...
Digger0 I appreciate your reply however. I have suffered with my heart condition for 45 years now. I had by pass surgery 8 years ago. Cardiac arrest is different to a heart attack and exercise and after care is very different. The rehab people only deal with people needing to gain confidence in increasing heart rate following an attack or surgery. However following an arrest clinicians are trying to keep your heart rate as low as possible. They are contradicting conditions and not supported by rehab people. Out of hospital arrests normally due to a condition not medication reaction. Have not often or regularly been survived either and so rehab is not set up for the few that do. However now portable defib machines are more widely available in the community the need for cardiac arrest rehab aftercare is more and more needed. Sadly like a lot of other things in this economic and virus fear climate this is not going to happen any time soon.
Hello Swaleclliffe,
You have made quite an important point in your reply. There are different needs for different heart patients and with various conditions. I think this is the problem I have encountered. I had an out of hospital cardiac arrest - one of the only 8% that survive - and my exercise requirements are very different to that of someone who has had a heart attack due to other conditions. I was told to keep my heart rate lower than 80bpm which is a barrier to many forms of exercise. I suspect that is why finding a specific exercise to suit me has been difficult.
very similar, I’m is was a big chap, currently now down 2 and a half stone since I fell over, at least 3 fractured ribs from the CPR, with a 60 chest at the times I gotta say that the nurse that found me definitely put the effort into getting my heart going, so along with the fractures resultant muscle damage, of which I am great full for all of it to sit and be able to type. Had a stent fitted as an emergency.
Back on topic, yes I felt abandoned when I left hospital initially over what I was supposed to do, there was a bit of a disconnect between my leaving hospital until my local community cardiac team got hold of me, chest is getting better but get paranoid of even crossing my armies, anything that suggests compression, some of it is discomfort some of it makes me feel sick.
However 2 months on the team have now started me BHF level 2 exercise programme, thank heavens for large computer monitor for following on you tube, there is a wealth of BHF exercise videos to try and cater for all, surprisingly deceptive as well.
I’m sorry Scroll I missed your post. Over a month now and no contact made from Local rehab. So gonna contact BHF nurses and ask them for exercise advice as not sure if can work back up to pre CA or have to stay with keeping heart rate low. Ribs are a barrier though but feeling just slightly better in last few days. Not sure if wiring keeping sternum and ribs together since by pass helped to stop any breakages. Like you was lucky enough to have a passing doc keep me alive. So I shouldn’t be complaining about anything really. Hope you continue to make good recovery.
reading through your post and the responses so far it sounds as though you need more support with managing the angina than you are getting - symptoms which are affecting you during normal activity (like gentle exercise) should get medical attention as they are affecting your day to day life
are your cardiology team and GP aware of the extent of your angina? i know it is difficult to get appointments but if i were in your shoes i would be asking them for help with the angina as you can't improve until this is controlled better
Hi Fishonabike, I am about to start a new angina medication this weekend. Fingers crossed they may have found one that is effective. Papworth have always been brilliant but I did have to reach out to them a couple of times to get an appointment and an MRI stress test to see what may be going on.
no actual gp at my local surgery only phone call from a locum if I fill in e consult form. Not sure of locum heart qualifications had experience of that last time when had by pass and was nearly killed by gp error. Have had to conctact cardiac team and can only again get a telephone call with consultant in 4 weeks. I am a 45 year heart failure sufferer so not new to this game with nhs.
Hi Flummoxedlou,my experience was similar. Ow 8mths on and all good so far.I went through the NHS rehab programme,but,couldn’t see the physio due to covid,so once a week we chatted over the phone about my exercise plan,the problem with this approach for me was,as I was fit before hand,when starting his programme,it left me feeling I could do more,am 67 and I found the conversations and programme on the cautious side,But totally did as I was told for the first few weeks,I did the the YouTube vids for a short time but quickly advanced through the levels,so started with a 10min walk 2 weeks post opp, was enough,then pushed a little harder each time I went which was daily,by the end of March could walk for an hr.at a steady pace and on the flat.April I started my walk walk fitness which I did throughout lockdown,(a YouTube thing) there are loads of different ones to do at a pace to suit you.It really helped me to feel good about my fitness level again and now am back to we’re I was more or less before the cardiac arrest happened,I haven’t got a full functioning heart these days,and keep my heart rate in a suggested zone for me,and take notice of heart and oxygen levels via a tracker during exercise whilst getting yourself back to your new normal.Good luck
G = General. There are some excellent GPs who I know will understand heart conditions well and the mountain of medications for all the different known heart conditions and ones still being discovered. However, Locum = Relief /non permanent doctor. I do not know these peoples ability, experience or length of time qualified. One such locum 20 years ago nearly killed me through, their lack of heart knowledge. Thankfully his chest issue diagnosis, only led to me suffering a mild heart attack. For people with specific soft organ conditions it is important to them to have confidence in their clinicians. We have a village surgery that currently is only served by transient visiting locums. Not an atmosphere for engendering patient confidence.
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