Pilates Machine

I wanted to know if anyone has a pilates machine. The range of motion when doing pilates ropes, do they hurt the muscles around the pacemaker ? Sometimes when I do light weight training, it is tender around my pacemaker. Also, in general does anyone have tenderness around the pacemaker ? I have had the PM since 2002, and now it is tender ? Who the heck knows ??

3 Comments

Tenderness

by Identifier - 2008-04-26 08:04:15

I had my PM put in a little over a year ago. I exercise on a regular basis although not on a pilates machine mainly treadmill and free weights. I recently started having problems with tenderness in my PM area. It's constant now and my Dr. and PM tech tells me this is normal. Some people are more sensitive than others is their explanation.

PM tenderness......

by maryanne - 2008-04-26 09:04:20

I don't have a Pilates machine....but I know when I perform certain excercises the tissue around my PM can become uncomfortable....but that is the tissue responding to stress...and yes that is normal....you have to remember you have a foreign object in your body...and the body wants to naturally protect itself...and it does this by sending you signals that say "hey there's something moving in here".....I worry about your use of the word "tender" if this is something new then it is worth investigating....is there redness or increased swelling at the site? Is the area warm to touch? These are signs of infection and should be reported to your doctor....have you been working out more than usual? Your muscle around your pacemaker needs to adapt to increase muscle mass....you talk about weight training....just think about what is being done...you are using your muscles...those muscle can become tight and sore and uncomfortable until your body adjusts.....if you still feel concerned with things it's always best to check with your GP......best of luck! :)

Excerise and pain

by Mkizmo - 2008-04-27 01:04:59

I know what you mean. It reminds me that I have pacemaker. And the male surgeon had now sympathy for the placement of the pacemaker in a female. It took me almost a year to learn how to wear a bra again.
I have been a truck driver for almost 30 years. But this pacemaker has stopped me in my tracks a few times and reminded me to slow down. I have had this since 2004 and it saved my life. I had brady cardia (very slow heart beat). And now it doesn't let it go under 50 bpm.
I have always been a very physical person. But using my pectoral muscle of which my pacemaker (size of man's watch) sits on top of can be quite painful. A little heat, joint gel over the site and remembering to relax that muscle helps.
I agree with maryanne, you have to remember you have a life saving foreign object in your body that demands respect. Even the weather can make mine hurt. We are damaged goods.
It gets better as your body adjusts but do take it slow or it can really hurt.
I forgot that I wasn't the same anymore. Hauling a flatbed trailer required I throw straps over a 14' high load, putting a tarp over that and tying it down could make the area hurt. At first it was extremely painful but I have learned to work around it. I drove a lot of miles with my hand over the site to keep it warm and calm the pain.
This last year I was rear ended in my car while stop at a traffic light. And the seat belt locked down right over my pacemaker. It felt like I was getting a shock if I moved my arm just so. I went into to have it checked as I was afraid I had damaged the wires, but they didn't find anything.
So be careful and live life to the fullest knowing how lucky you are to have that pacemaker. The little inconvienances with it just remind you to slow down. Before our bodies tried to tell us to slow down but we were not listening. But now the pacemaker demands attention.
Just know you are not the only one.
Here's wishing you a long life!

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