After a heart attack, the heart may no longer be able to pump blood around the body with perfect efficiency. If you received emergency medical attention within the first hour of your heart attack, the organ may have suffered limited damage and you can return to normal daily activities. However, you must consider heart attack as a warning sign that you need to change some life choices, otherwise you may still suffer from similar episodes or other complications. Researchers believe that physical activity is one of the most important factors related to heart problems. Studies have also established that people who engage in a physical activity routine after a heart attack heal better, need fewer hospitalizations, and experience future years with fewer heart ailments.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Preparing for Exercise
Step 1. Talk to your doctor
Make sure he approves of your exercise program before starting it. When the heart is damaged due to loss of oxygen, it takes several weeks for it to heal and return to its best function. You can undergo an exercise test before you leave the hospital, which allows the cardiologist to assess the intensity of exercise you can manage. There is usually no standard rest period before starting a physical activity routine; it is the doctor who determines how long you should wait, based on your current state of health, the severity of the heart damage and the health conditions prior to the heart attack.
Your doctor will advise you not to strain your heart with exercise or sexual activity until it is healed
Step 2. Be aware of the importance of exercise
It can strengthen the heart muscle, improve oxygen transport efficiency, reduce blood pressure, stabilize blood sugar, lower the risk of diabetes, manage stress, control weight and cholesterol levels - all of which help to decrease the chances of another heart attack. Begin rehabilitation with aerobic, or cardio, exercise.
- The anaerobic ones are of such intensity as to induce the formation of lactic acid, which can accumulate in the heart. Anaerobic activity is mainly done for non-endurance sports to promote strength, speed and power, and should be avoided after having a heart attack.
- The so-called anaerobic threshold is the point at which the body switches from aerobic to anaerobic activity. Resistance training aims to increase this threshold, so that you can perform exercises at a higher intensity without producing lactic acid.
Step 3. Follow a cardiac rehabilitation program, if one is available
Each heart attack patient recovers at a different rate, based on the extent of the damage to the heart and the physical performance they had before the heart attack. During cardiac rehabilitation, the therapist monitors the exercise program with the electrocardiogram and by measuring blood pressure, in order to avoid injury. Once you have completed a 6-12 week recovery program under the supervision of a professional, you can resume your physical activity routine at home.
People who undergo a cardiac rehabilitation program prescribed by their doctor or hospital staff achieve better long-term results and heal faster. Despite this, a rehabilitation program or post-heart attack physical exercise program is recommended or prescribed for only about 20% of patients qualified to do it; furthermore, this value decreases among elderly and female patients
Step 4. Learn to measure your heart rate
Do not use the carotid pulse (in the neck), but the radial pulse (near the thumb), as you may accidentally block the artery during detection. Place the index and middle fingers (not the thumb, because it has its own beat) of one hand on the wrist of the other, just below the thumb; you should feel the pulse. Count the number of pulses you perceive in 10 seconds and multiply the value obtained by 6.
- You need to keep track of how fast your heart is pumping so that you can keep your heart rate within a range you have defined with your doctor.
- This range can vary based on age, weight, level of physical performance, and damage to the heart.
Step 5. Talk to your doctor regarding sexual activity
For the heart, however, it is a question of physical activity and after having had a heart attack it is very often advisable to wait 2-3 weeks before practicing it. Again, the waiting time depends on the severity of the heart attack and the results obtained from the stress test.
Your doctor may also decide that you need to wait more than three weeks before having sex
Part 2 of 3: Starting Physical Activity
Step 1. Stretch before starting an exercise session
As long as your doctor allows it, you can start stretching while you are still in the hospital; try to do this at least once a day to prepare your body for exercise. Remember to relax and breathe during the stretches. Keep your joints slightly bent and never lock them during stretching if you want to avoid injury; Also avoid jerky or swaying movements to hold the position, instead do fluid stretches and hold them for 10-30 seconds. Repeat 3-4 times.
Stretching does not improve muscle strength or heart efficiency, but it does develop flexibility, allowing you to perform different types of exercises more easily, also improving balance and relieving muscle tension
Step 2. Start your fitness program with walking
Regardless of whether you were a marathon runner or a lazy "couch potato" before the heart attack, in your current physical condition you should always start an exercise routine this way. Take a warm-up walk for 3 minutes; then proceed at a pace that makes you breathe harder than when you are sitting, but still allows you to talk and have a conversation. Walk for about 5 minutes at this pace, increasing the exercise by a minute or two each day, until you can walk for half an hour.
- Walk with a friend for a few weeks and always stay close to home in case you feel sick or very fatigued. Bring a cell phone with you in case you need to ask for help at home or call 911 for an emergency.
- Remember to cool down after your workout.
Step 3. Be cautious when engaging in other physical activities
Avoid strenuous ones during the first 4-6 weeks after a heart attack. The heart takes about a month and a half to heal just enough to be able to perform a demanding exercise, even if you were in good condition before the heart attack. Do not engage in activities such as lifting or pulling heavy loads, vacuuming, washing, sweeping, painting, running, mowing, or making sudden movements. You can start with activities such as walking on a flat surface for a few minutes at a time, cooking, washing dishes, shopping, gardening, and less demanding household chores.
- Increase the duration and intensity of exercise gradually, without getting to perform anaerobic activity.
- Expect your arm and leg muscles to be a little sore in the hours and days following the start of your exercise routine; however, they shouldn't be sore and you shouldn't feel pain during exercise.
Step 4. Gradually increase your workout
Just as if you had to start a physical routine in normal health conditions, even after a heart attack you have to gradually increase the duration and intensity; this allows you to reduce the risk of potential injury and keep you motivated. However, do not increase the duration and intensity of the activity until your doctor authorizes you to do more than half an hour of walking a day. It may take up to 3 months for you to feel comfortable with a brisk 30-minute walk, depending on the heart damage you suffered and the fitness levels you had before the heart attack.
When you no longer feel uncomfortable walking fast 30 minutes a day, you can start incorporating other sports into your routine, such as cycling, hiking, rowing, running or tennis
Step 5. Talk to your doctor before integrating exercise with strength activity
Your doctor is unlikely to advise you to start strength training immediately after you leave the hospital; however, you can ask him when you will be able to deal with a program of this type.
- You can start using dumbbells at home or a set of resistance bands that you can hang or attach to a door handle. These bands can be used for both arms and legs and allow you to gradually increase the resistance and energy you need to use.
- Give your muscles time to recover between exercise sessions; therefore avoid doing strength activities more than three times a week and wait at least 48 hours between one workout and another.
- Strength exercise also increases the chances of getting you back to your pre-heart attack activity levels, such as mowing the grass, playing with grandchildren, and taking home the groceries. it also allows to reduce the risk of suffering from muscle atrophy and inactivity.
- Do not hold your breath while lifting weights or exercising with elastic bands, otherwise you will increase chest pressure and increase the workload of the heart.
Step 6. Stay active throughout the day
Once the training session is over, do not remain seated in an armchair for the rest of the day. Some studies have found that you can lose all the benefits of physical activity even if you work out for up to an hour a day if you later spend 8 hours sitting down to work or watching TV. Make sure you stay active all day by getting up and stretching or moving every half hour. Drink a glass of water, go to the bathroom, do some stretches, or walk for five minutes. To encourage movement you can also:
- Walk when you talk on the phone, or at least stand up instead of sitting.
- Put the glass of water on the other side of the room, so you have to get up every half hour to drink.
- Organize the space in a way that encourages you to get up and bend down continuously throughout the day.
Part 3 of 3: Observe the Warning Signs
Step 1. Pay attention to the signs that the heart is working too hard
If you experience chest pain, nausea, dizziness, arrhythmia, or shortness of breath during exercise, you must stop immediately. Training can be demanding on the heart; call your doctor or 911 if your symptoms don't go away quickly. If you have been prescribed nitroglycerin, take it with you when exercising. Also note the symptoms you experienced, the time you experienced them, when you last ate, the duration and frequency of the complaints.
Talk to your doctor about any other symptoms you have before continuing your exercise routine. He may undergo an additional stress test before you can resume exercising
Step 2. Prevent injuries and accidents
Wear appropriate clothing and shoes for the type of business you do. Stay hydrated during exercise and make sure someone knows where you are going when you exercise outdoors. Always use common sense and respect the limits of your abilities.
It is much better to keep exercising every day at a slightly lower intensity than you can handle, rather than having to stop for several weeks due to an injury or having to hospitalize again for another heart condition
Step 3. Do not exercise outdoors when temperatures are too high or too low
If the climate is harsh or hot, the body has greater difficulty supplying oxygen to cells, including those of the heart. Do not train outdoors when the temperature is below 2 ° C or above 30 ° C, and with humidity greater than 80%.
Advice
- Stay hydrated when you work out. Regardless of whether you are outdoors or in the gym, always carry water with you and drink often; when you are dehydrated the blood becomes "thick" and the heart works harder to pump it throughout the body.
- Practice finding your heart rate before exercising to make it easier for you to find your heart rate during your training session.
Warnings
- Avoid extreme weather conditions; excessive heat and cold increase the stress to which the heart is subjected. Do not exercise directly in the sun when temperatures exceed 29 ° C, unless the humidity is very low; however, avoid exercising even when temperatures are at or below -18 ° C and in a freezing wind.
- Stop exercising immediately if you experience chest pain, discomfort, nausea, breathing difficulties that are beyond what you can expect for the type of activity you are doing. Stop exercising and monitor your symptoms; if they don't go away within 3-5 minutes, seek immediate medical attention.
