Exercising post pacemaker

Hello, I'm new to this. I am due to have a pacemaker hopefully in the New Year for SSS.
I have not been allowed to exercise since July. Normally I go to the gym, do pilates, yoga, aqua aerobics, walking, ballet barre and had started to learn swimming again after several years break. I am very keen to return to doing all these. I have a very stressful job working long hours and I find going to the classes/gym helps.
How soon can I exercise? Do I have to wait until after the 6 weeks post implantation? Are there certain gym machines I should not use such as the rowing machine? I am not convinced that the local gyms would be aware of what restrictions there might be. Also is it true cetain yoga postures should not be done?
Thank you
Bryony

5 Comments

exercise

by Tracey_E - 2013-12-20 10:12:13

Some docs are more conservative than others, but most of us have no restrictions. My doc said don't do anything stupid (he's been my doc for 20 years, he knows me well) and stop if it hurts.

Check with your doc first, but you should be able to start walking and light aerobic exercise as soon as you feel up to it. No lifting anything heavy and no raising the arm higher than shoulder level for 6 weeks. Anything else you feel up to should be ok. I was out walking the day I got home, added distance and speed, after a few weeks got on the recumbent bike. I avoided anything impact for the full 6 weeks. It wouldn't have been dangerous and others do it with no problems, but I found it left me sore so I waited.

Exercise

by gleesue - 2013-12-20 10:12:50

Bryony,
I am an avid exerciser. I do various activities. The six weeks is just for lifting your arm. They want to be sure you ley the leads build up the scar tissue so they won’t become detached.

I see you do a lot of various activities. I bike, lift weights, do some Yoga stretching after work outs, hike, play tennis, coach 2 soccer teams, swim, jet ski, snow ski, and a few other things. I can handle all of them as well as before if not better.

You can start doing physical activities as soon as you feel up to it. It sounds like you a very active so you should have no trouble getting back into shape. My EP just told me to take it easy at first and if it hurts don’t do it. As for weight training he suggested using less weight and more reps to begin with. I found a few moves that hurt some so I delayed those for a while. As for swimming that stretches the arms quite a bit so take a little time with that until it feels comfortable.

I know you should get many more comments on your post. It is a popular topic. If you use the search tab in the upper right corner you can look up physical activity and see a lot more comments.

Jerry

Conservative cardio

by JerryG - 2013-12-21 03:12:49

My cardio is very conservative. He knows I work out on my treadmill daily so he told me to stay off it for 3 weeks after my implant. The way I felt post implant I could have gone back to the treadmill two days after the implant! He of course also insisted I not lift my elbow above my shoulder for 6 weeks and not to lift anything heavy.

I have had major spinal surgery 3 times in the past which has limited my exercise options but I am able to get my HR up into the 60-80% of MHR walking on the treadmill and making intervals by varying the incline of the belt. My cardio is also not in favour of exercises that might tear a lead loose like weights, rowing but that is him being his conservative self!

JerryG

hiking and Stairmaster

by erik - 2013-12-21 10:12:52

You want to avoid putting stress on the surgical site and want to avoid stretching the arm on that side too high. Other than that, you're good to go. HIll hiking and Stairmaster is what I've been doing.

My experience with exercise

by TJ319 - 2014-01-10 05:01:58

I am 66, had my PM implanted on Nov. 19, 2013 due to slow resting heart rate.
I was walking 3 miles 2 weeks after the implant, running 2-3 after 4 weeks, spinning an hour at a time at 6 weeks and have begun swimming at 7 weeks, all with my doc's approval. He did mention that it would take several months to regain my old level of fitness and not all that encouraging about long distance endurance events such as triathlons, marathons. (We'll see about that long term!)
He also cautioned me about weight training advising to think "toning" not building muscle.

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I'm 35 and got my pacemaker a little over a year ago. It definitely is not a burden to me. In fact, I have more energy (which my husband enjoys), can do more things with my kids and have weight because of having the energy.