what can I do?

I have had my pacemaker for 7 months now & 2 months ago I started doing sit ups. I have had alot of tenderness & was wondering if anyone can give me some execrise tips so that I will not cause pain to my chest.

4 Comments

sit ups

by Tracey_E - 2012-01-19 06:01:43

Simply doing sit ups shouldn't cause any problems! You don't work chest or arms. Rule of thumb is stop if it hurts. I do a full boot camp with heavy lifting, running, gymnastic moves, pull ups, etc. The only thing that agitates the scar tissue around my pm is these things where you lie on the floor and hold the rings and pull yourself up, like an upside down push up.

What 0371 mentioned is RARE! It's generally only a problem if your pm is very close to the clavicle. Once you've had your pm for 3-4 months, it's highly unlikely you will do any damage. Ask your dr to be sure what is right for you, but for the most part we don't have restrictions other than full contact sports like tackle football and competitive karate that would risk a direct hard hit to the pm.

0371

by John G. - 2012-01-19 11:01:15

I have had a pacemaker now since 2003. The first year I went overboard and severed the leads causing shocks and irrepairable damage to unit.I had it replaced and I found my own limits. Over time your body will adjust and you won't even know it's there! I bench press 100 lbs @ 3 sets of 10 , no more. Before Pacemaker I benched 180 to 200 lbs. I tried that after the pacemaker which caused damage.What happened was, the leads from unit were placed between 2 ribs and the heavy weight causes them to rub together thus severing leads. Because I was young at the time, (42) when docs replaced lead and unit they re-routed my leads between my left clavicle and the top rib which do not rub together during heavy lifting. So BE CAREFUL what you do. I am now 51 and live a normal life and workout all the time doing curls,benchpress ,situps etc. you name it. It just took me a while to figure out my limits. My doc says I should not lift weights at all. Oh well, we still have to live and I am in a physically demanding profession. Hope this helps, John

0371 & TraceyE

by clown - 2012-01-20 11:01:33

Thanks for the comments. I have contacted my dr. & am waiting on an answer.I guess since I'm new to this, I am scared that I will pull something or damage something & have to go do this over again. people keep telling me that it will take time, I realze that I have to be patient & let God do the healing. Thanks again.

We are all scared a bit

by Tattoo Man - 2012-01-25 05:01:05

clown, about five years ago a splendid gentleman in a white coat jigsawed my sternum so he could have a shot of 'caving' into my ventricle, ...such a kindness from a chap I'd never met before.
So...a new heart valve it is..12 weeks on a 7 mile charity run, all goes well.
26 weeks later I do my first Half Marathon..2.12, not bad.
Last year a PM..too much lying down.
My Doctors say its ok...so ..I run...in truth, I run from what scares me , ...that is , in truth . of.being a bit dead.

70 road races and cross country races since then.

Just my story, ..check with your specialists...and then , check them out..just how far do these dudes exercise beyond the golf links.
A wise man once said.."you dont get too old to exercise,..you just dont exercise, and get old"

Just the rantings of a 61 year old..

Take care when you are out there

Tattoo Man

You know you're wired when...

You are always wired and full of energy.

Member Quotes

As for my pacemaker (almost 7 years old) I like to think of it in the terms of the old Timex commercial - takes a licking and keeps on ticking.