Maximum heart rate when exercising

[JohnLeCarre]

I was 40 when I had my MI in January of this year. Completed (and enjoyed) cardiac rehab. I have been told by the cardiac rehab team that I need to keep my heart rate no higher than 130bpm when exercising. I was/am a fairly decent runner, so am finding that if I stick to 130bpm when running, I'm hardly breaking sweat and it feels very easy (prob a 10 on the Borg scale). I'm finding this very frustrating. Has anyone else been in this situation? Why am I 'capped' at 130 if I feel fine?

[Cruiser25]

Morning JohnLeCarre, sorry to hear of your MI earlier in January, maybe I can help...

I'm a year ahead of you, my Stemi was in Feb 22, 7 stents across 2 arteries. Like you enjoyed rehab, still attending post rehab exercise class in fact! Back in July 23 I had my (sort of) sign off with my Cardiologist, where I asked the same questions over running. I'm late to running (Parkrun) at 60yrs old, but love it. Anyway, my concern, very similar to yours, I can hit 168 - 170 bpm running...am I risking/hurting/damaging anything? Short answer was no, in fact I was taken aback when he was more impressed by the heartbeat range I now have from 40 whilst sleeping up to 178 when really going for it! (as shown on my Huawei GT3 smartwatch.

Remember I'm a year ahead in healing and settling terms, meds are balanced and well tolerated, I've lost a stone, changed my lifestyle and cholesterol is steady at 3.0 with other blood results fine. Last year, roughly where you are in terms of recovery, I was still on a phased return to work, so lots can happed quite quickly. Good news is you sound fit and healthy, although 40 is young to have suffered a MI, are there lifestyle changes you have to reconcile?

So good news is there is light ahead & mostly we are in control of our outcomes , we're all different, listen to your Doctors & your body, it'll let you know if it's unhappy with something you have (or haven't) done and be patient (difficult I know), but you'll prevail, good luck

[JohnLeCarre in reply to Cruiser25]

Thank you. My 'three month' check up is happening 8 months down the line with my cardiologist in a fortnight so good chance to discuss. I did parkrun 225 yesterday...I was a 22/23 minuter before this! Always good to connect with a fellow fan! Lifestyle wise, I was a picture of health...I think most likely issue for me is genetics.

[Cruiser25 in reply to JohnLeCarre]

Definitely sounds like genetics. That's a cracking 5K time, I'm nursing a calf strain, so I'm on marshalling duties at the moment, was on a PB streak, but only 20 runs to date (I know part-timer) but down to 33 .07, v frustrating, especially as I've got the ok from the docs to stretch myself now! Stick with it, I'm the worlds most impatient patient (according to the wife!) 😜

[Lowerfield_no_more]

You should be asking your cardio team why you have a cap on your maximum heart rate. We are all different and your heart specialists will have looked at your situation and made a judgement based on what they see before them. Your life has changed now you have officially joined the hearties club and what you did before may no longer be relevant, so it is important to take on board what you are recommended to do in terms of life style, however frustrating that may be in some areas. However rejoice that you are still with us, and enjoy each day as it comes.

[Survivor1952]

For my rehab classes I'm capped at 109. For my age I can go to 155 or thereabouts (225 - age). The reason is that the rehab team only want you to exercise at around 70% of maximum. As you recover I believe you can increase this but talk to your rehab team and see why it is such a low limit.

[JohnLeCarre in reply to Survivor1952]

Thank you. I'd been told I'd actually need to reduce it by 1 beat a year, so 129 next Jan etc, so good to hear an increase in the max might be possible.

[Survivor1952]

Yes, the maximum does decrease by 1 each year, I drop to 154 max in a week or so. I’m regularly reaching high 120’s and low 130’s now at 11 weeks post op with no issues when exercising (running). My surgeon told me at 8 weeks post op to live life normally, discharged to care of my GP so I’m trying to build my fitness from what was a low level. Before my op just going upstairs could see me hit 160 or 170!

Even hitting 120 at rehab isn’t causing any comment at all when they set 109 initially.

It’s all geared around level of health and age so, as you recover, you should be able to increase the limit.

[Lonmayloon]

The rehab team are working with the formula (220-age) x 70%

Consider that their advice has to fit all those who have experienced a heart event, it probably errs on the side of caution. The group contains people who have not exercised since they left school, the overweight, the smokers, those with co-morbidities etc. If you have been running 5km in 22-23 minutes pre HA you are in a fairly high fitness group. It doesn’t prevent you having heart disease but you’re well placed to make a good recovery.

When you see your cardiologist in a fortnight take along details of your 5km times, resting HR, maximum HR, perceived effort etc. I’m sure you’ll get the go ahead to increase your targets.

I had angina (no heart attack) at age 52, stent fitted to LAD. Took up running during lockdown three years ago. Now aged 65 I can run 5km in 27minutes taking heart rate up to 145bpm, resting HR is about 40bpm. I was never offered cardiac rehab but, if I had been, these figures would be outside the guidelines.

If you’re on Facebook look at Cardiac Athletes group. Lots of inspiring stories on there and admins are experienced heart health professionals. The general theme is that athletes who have suffered heart issues are a small cohort within all heart patients and the advice needs ‘tweaking’ to be relevant for them.