Marty
Well-known member
I've been following this chat for some time and every now and then there is a question about "exercise" after heart surgery. Seems a lot of folks havn't even been told about rehab.
At my hospital everybody gets a Rx for it. Cardiac rehabilitation entails a program of graduated and progressive aerobic exercise closely monitored by specially trained RN's and exercise physiologists following the orders of a cardiologist and best accomplished in a hospital setting. It reduces your heart rate and makes the heart stronger. It metabolizes harmful adrenaline like stress hormones in your blood from the trauma of surgery and the bypass pump. It helps your body produce endorphins
which combat depression and increase the sense of well being.
It firms up muscles, takes off weight, and lowers blood pressure.
You can start at the earliest three weeks post op if doing well. Most patients even those in their 70's 0r 80's are ready by seven or eight weeks. The formal program lasts 18 to 20 weeks but most patients continue on their own at a fitness center or gym after the formal program ends. Aerobic exercise is the key. Aerobic exercise is endurance exercise eg walking three miles in 45 minutes as opposed to anaerobic exercise such as sprinting 100 yards. The optimum level of exercise is determined by the patients heart rate. The formula for maximum heart rate is
MHR=220-age in years. The aerobic target heart rate is
THR=MHR times 80%. Counting the pulse is difficult manually when the patient is on a treadmill, stationary bike,stepper, etc.
The best method is to use a chest belt transmitter with a digital wrist watch receiver, available at sports stores.
For more details read Dr. Ken Coopers excellent book;
The Aerobics Program for Total Well Being
Go for it ! Marty
At my hospital everybody gets a Rx for it. Cardiac rehabilitation entails a program of graduated and progressive aerobic exercise closely monitored by specially trained RN's and exercise physiologists following the orders of a cardiologist and best accomplished in a hospital setting. It reduces your heart rate and makes the heart stronger. It metabolizes harmful adrenaline like stress hormones in your blood from the trauma of surgery and the bypass pump. It helps your body produce endorphins
which combat depression and increase the sense of well being.
It firms up muscles, takes off weight, and lowers blood pressure.
You can start at the earliest three weeks post op if doing well. Most patients even those in their 70's 0r 80's are ready by seven or eight weeks. The formal program lasts 18 to 20 weeks but most patients continue on their own at a fitness center or gym after the formal program ends. Aerobic exercise is the key. Aerobic exercise is endurance exercise eg walking three miles in 45 minutes as opposed to anaerobic exercise such as sprinting 100 yards. The optimum level of exercise is determined by the patients heart rate. The formula for maximum heart rate is
MHR=220-age in years. The aerobic target heart rate is
THR=MHR times 80%. Counting the pulse is difficult manually when the patient is on a treadmill, stationary bike,stepper, etc.
The best method is to use a chest belt transmitter with a digital wrist watch receiver, available at sports stores.
For more details read Dr. Ken Coopers excellent book;
The Aerobics Program for Total Well Being
Go for it ! Marty