Pacemaker Protection Device

I just received a pacemaker a couple days ago for SSS. I was told by the doctor to not play any contact sports. I love soccer and basketball and would be VERY depressed to give them up. I'm having a very difficult time feeling like I have to rethink of myself as 'fragile' now. Should I just ignore the 'fragile' feeling and live my life as normal? I guess my question is this. What copeing methods have you all used to deal with this? I found the site paceguard.com and my wife is already ordering me one, but are there any other products out there you world recommend?

Any help would be very appreciated.

7 Comments

live!

by Tracey_E - 2009-06-17 07:06:13

Paceguard is the only product I'm aware of. Give yourself time to heal but then live your life and don't worry about it. We're not fragile, we just have a problem that is fixed. Unless you play rough, I wouldn't consider soccer and basketball to be contact, that usually refers to wrestling, football and karate where you're likely to take a direct hit to the pm. It won't hurt the pm, but it will hurt!

Paceguard

by jmac - 2009-06-18 03:06:21

I've had my pacemaker for 2 years. It has not changed my life at all. I've been running for 28 years, I still play softball, golf....the same things I was doing before I got my pm.

This is the 3rd softball season since I got the implant, and my wife wanted me to find something that would protect it from possibly being hit by the softball. I pitch, and you are a sitting duck out there. I searched the internet, and found the paceguard website. I've used it for 4 games now, and its great! Luckily it hasn't been hit, but its there in place if I were unable to catch that hot liner coming at me.

The only drag about having the pacemaker is going through airport security. Now if TSA had plenty of 25 year old blondes to pat you down, I might change my mind.

Evo shield

by rkuba - 2009-06-23 01:06:53

Check out evoshield.com. I have a twelve year old who got a pacemaker a couple of months ago. He still plays sports. I called this place. They really helped. They suggested the recoil shirt. Then they suggested the shin guards. THey work great. They come soft and you put them in place over your scar and they harden. I then went to walmart bought 3 tight sports shirts. A friend cut one up and placed a pocket in the inside of each of the two other shirts. That way the guard can be added or removed. I also bought him a hockey shirt. But the evoshield one he likes best because it is less bulky. You can hardly notice it because he wears another shirt over it. PLus if he is not playing sports at that moment he can take it out, just like a catcher would a cup.

Still running

by trugman - 2009-06-28 07:06:13

I got my single wire pacemaker in 2002, It took me a while until I started joggin again, About a year later I started to run and had no problem, but I gave up all contact sports as I am afraid to rupture a wire. I thought about a sheild, but I do not thik it is worth the risk.

EvoShield

by jbird68 - 2009-07-11 05:07:29

rkuba,
When the EvoShield hardens, does it affect how much you can move? I was looking at one for playing softball. I got my pacemaker 2 years ago and have been playing without any protection.I wish I could get it in a black color instead of olive.

Sincerely,

jbird68

Contact Sports

by jpatram - 2009-07-18 11:07:58

As far as wanting to play basketball I would suggest that you go to Dick's Sporting Goods and buy a product called Heart Gard by Markwort. It costs only $20.

I play in a pretty competitive slow pitch softball league at shortstop and took 2 bad bounces off my chest and the protector did the job. I did not feel any pain or bruises etc.

Good luck

john in C'town

thanks for the info

by hotrod - 2011-06-21 04:06:05

i'm a 40yr old male who just recieved a pacemaker last week, i coach h.s. basketball and play in 3 basketball leagues and 3 softball leagues a week. just went to 2 sporting good stores to see what they have to protect my pacemaker and they had nothing. i was going to get a shirt, sew a pocket over my pacemaker and put a baseball cup to protect it, but i think that would be uncomfortable. so thank you for giving me the websites to check out what they have. i'm not willing to give up sports.

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Member Quotes

My eight year old son had a pacemaker since he was 6 months old. He does very well, plays soccer, baseball, and rides his bike. I am so glad he is not ashamed of his pacemaker. He will proudly show his "battery" to anyone.