Is there any exercise that will help muscles?

I'm just wondering if there are any therapy type exercises that I can do to stop my muscle near my pacemaker from feeling so weird? I really don't know how to explain the feeling but there is no pain. I've had my pacemaker for almost a year now and this irritating feeling comes and goes. It feels like my muscles are too tight in my armpit area and pacemaker area, it feels like the muscles are pulling too tight on my arm, armpit, and pacemaker with any movement or even just sitting here. It seems like ever sense the cold weather hit here that it started. Maybe the weather has some affect on it? Who knows. Does anyone do any type of stretching/exersice to help this? Who else gets these muscle tightness or aggrivation and what did you do to help it? thanks!

5 Comments

There are a whole bunch

by Theknotguy - 2015-12-03 01:12:00

There are a whole bunch of exercises that may help. Unfortunately I'd have to be a physical therapist to give you the specifics.

Post getting my pacemaker I went in for physical therapy because they had broken all the ribs on my right side and re-separated my right shoulder - all from doing CPR. My medical insurance was willing to pay for physical therapy.

I was expecting the "no pain, no gain" type of therapy but to my surprise the therapists said if I hurt they weren't doing their therapy correctly. Consequently I walked out of the therapy sessions tired, but not sore.

These weren't the usual arm curls, leg lifts, etc. They were really strange exercises. Sometimes they'd have me do pull downs. Weight was 3 to 4 pound max. "Geesh! I thought. I can do this in my sleep!" Not so. After five or six pulls the muscles would be fatigued and I'd be shaking from the exercise. Since the weight was so little, I never got up to the "pain" level.

Another exercise was to lift two pound weights with my arms out at a 45 degree angle from my torso. No big deal, but after five or six tries, I'd be wiped. Once again, since the weight was so little, no pain. But, just the same the muscles would be fatigued.

Cool down and ice/cold packs on the areas I exercised. Tylenol the next morning and I was good to go.

There were other exercises like arm bicycle, and stuff to strange to describe. All light weight, no pain.

The one thing they couldn't help was the bone spur in the right shoulder. Only surgery can do that. But recovery isn't too good in that type of surgery so I have to live with a bum arm. Not the therapists fault, nor could they fix it.

So check with your medical insurance. They should pay. Or, if they don't, check with your hospital occupational therapy department. Maybe they can make some suggestions or offer you an inexpensive course. In any case, be cautious about running into a "no pain, no gain" person. You really don't need that kind of grief.

Hope everything else goes well for you.

therapist

by Tracey_E - 2015-12-03 01:12:46

I'd try to get in with a physical therapist for a visit or two. They can give you a routine specific for you.

take it easy

by firekurt - 2015-12-03 05:12:04

The small weights are the best for all the small tissues and supportive tissues needed to support the large muscles. I used to do strongman, powerlifting, and now I'm lifting 5lb weights for simple movements. No pain after my workouts, and my body is responding very well. I had my valve replaced and PM installed 3 months ago. Have faith in what you are learning from the therapy and you be better then before.

Thank you!

by ShannonMarie33 - 2015-12-04 03:12:51

Thank you all for your comments! I get so nervouse when ever I feel something weird because a few weeks after I got my pacemaker I had to get another surgery scheduled to get a lead removed and one back in place because they both moved out of place. So I get scared that it's going to mess up again! I have terrible anxiety which is why I had to get a pacemaker in the first place, I'm thankful for my pacemkaer I just wish my anxiety would chill out! Its gotten a little better I guess with time I will be more at ease. I'm definitely considering going to a specialist to Loren up my muscles! They don't hurt as much as they feel tight and weak and just plain weird!

Iwantmikenow: I have popping like knuckles in my left and right side randomly! Except it doesn't hurt. Sometimes when I breathe out really hard and deep it does that popping it's so weird.

deep tissue

by firekurt - 2015-12-04 12:12:09

Get some deep tissue massage done too. Encouraging circulation where the pain is mixed with basic stretching really speeds up recovery. I go to a practitioner every 2-3 months. More when I was active with the weights but not so much now with the light activity. I swear by deep tissue work and myofascial release therapy. The process is painful but the results are long term. Same process put Crosby back into hockey after a 20-30min visit.

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