Recovery exercise plan after pacemaker install

Hi all, I had a pacemaker installed 4 days ago and I have been searching the Internet and YouTube for guidance on stretches and exercise during the 6 - 8 week recovery. I found very little information,  including in this club (unless I was looking in the wrong place). 

I was told not to raise my left arm above my shoulder and to avoid heavy loads on my left side during the first 8 weeks.

If so I would appreciate help answering such questions as:  How to prevent losing range of motion and strength on left arm during those 8 weeks?  When can I lie on my stomach on a carpet floor? When can I sleep on left side? When can I hold myself up in a pushup plank position, and when can I do a pushup? And pull up? A downward dog yoga pose? When and how to resume slow running? 

Thanks! Kim

1 Comments

recovery

by Tracey_E - 2016-11-23 11:57:17

Check with your doctor, but if you were active before and all that was wrong was a slow heart, then the only restrictions on you now should be the arm and weight. When I got my first one, my doc said if I felt up to it, anything else was ok. I was out walking the day I got home, adding distance and speed, then ankle weights. You can run when the bouncing from the impact doesn't hurt. I found that took a good month, even a little longer. I'd feel ok running but be sore after. I am not flatchested, that doesn't help!  If somethings makes you sore, back off a few days and ice, then try it again. Just  use common sense easing back into it, you'll be back to your old routine before you know it. 

Within the restrictions, try to use your arm otherwise normally to keep it from getting stiff. 

You can sleep on your left side and be on your stomach when it doesn't hurt.

I would think push ups, pull ups, planks all violate the weight limit and downward dog is arm overhead so those all need to wait the full 6-8 weeks. 

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