Age is advanced… plus having underlying conditions such as “heart disease”. Oh! In this case, you shouldn’t exercise because you might get tired, short of breath, and have difficulty breathing, which could trigger heart disease symptoms again. We must say… this is a misconception!! Because heart disease patients can exercise, and importantly!! Proper and appropriate exercise can help restore heart health and make it strong again.
Check “Heart” Fitness with a Treadmill Test
As mentioned at the beginning, heart disease patients can exercise… but they must choose the right method suitable for their heart strength!! Therefore, consulting a specialist doctor is necessary. The doctor will test the patient’s heart fitness using a treadmill or Exercise Stress Test (EST). This test examines the circulatory system, respiratory system, and overall muscular system because some heart system abnormalities cannot be detected when the body is at rest but will show during exercise!!
Rebuild a Weak Heart to Be Fit… with These 5 Exercise Steps!
1. Start by stretching various muscles to warm up the body.
2. Begin walking on a flat surface slowly for about 2 – 5 minutes.
3. After walking slowly for 5 – 10 minutes, gradually increase the speed until you feel moderately tired, continuing until the target time is reached.
4. After finishing fast walking, slow down for 2 – 5 minutes, then stop walking.
5. Stretch the muscles again… to slow down the heart rate before stopping exercise.
Recommendation : When walking on a flat surface, patients should walk continuously at a speed that feels tiring but still allows talking. Do not get so tired that you cannot speak!! Exercise regularly 3-5 days a week or every other day.
Exercise Guidelines for Heart Disease Patients
1. Do not exercise immediately after meals; wait about 1-2 hours.
2. Avoid exercising in hot weather or in poorly ventilated areas.
3. Warm up properly before and after exercising.
4. If feeling unwell, having a cold, fatigue, or insufficient rest, refrain from exercising.
5. After exercising, if you experience chest pain, palpitations, irregular heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, or excessive fatigue, stop or rest immediately.
Not only heart disease patients should check their heart fitness before starting exercise, but those who have never had any abnormal symptoms should also get tested because you might be unknowingly suffering from “heart disease”!!!