Hand Weights

I am a 75 yr. old female & had 2 valves repaired, hole in heart repaired, ablation and pacemaker installed In Sept.2015, all Medtronic equipment...I am involved in a Cardiac Rehab exercise plan at our local hospital which involves exercises with hand weights, stretching, & walk 1 1/2 miles twice per wk. For these exercises I use 3 lb. hand weights..does not sound like much compared to others but lifting heavier bothers my pacemaker site & surrounding muscles...should I try to increase the weights & build up the muscles or just stick to what I do???? I also have a small frame & the pacemaker is quite noticeable...Thanks

2 Comments

weights

by Tracey_E - 2016-04-10 10:04:00

Rehab is the perfect place to experiment with weights that are a little heavier. You should be well healed by now so you won't do any damage by going heavier. Sometimes you just have to experiment to see if building up the muscles helps or just aggravates the scar tissue.

Experiment & time

by Theknotguy - 2016-04-10 10:04:13

You're seven months out. I had a lot of trauma before I got my pacemaker so it took me a long time to bounce back. It was five months before I felt like doing normal things and seven months before I tried. So I was at the same time as you.

You should be well healed enough to try anything you want. What you won't have in the cardiac rehab is the time to bounce back, feel good, try again, and still be in the cardiac rehab. That's the unfortunate part.

I'd lift some heavy weight, end up being sore, and I'd have to take four days off from doing anything. Warm compresses, cold compresses, and tylenol were my friends. Then I'd go back at it again. Sometimes it felt like I had a sharp edged silver dollar instead of a pacemaker in the pocket. Overall it took about eight weeks for me to be able to do anything I'd want without being sore for several days.

Since I was doing this at the wood shop I'd be lifting forty pounds instead of a three pound hand weight, so I'd be a lot more stiff and sore than if I was just lifting the small weights.

Like TraceyE said, I'd go for lifting the heavier weights now. You've got the trained nurse there so they can help you determine what kind of soreness you may have.

I really wouldn't get too concerned if you don't lift the heavier weights at this time. Your body will heal at its own pace and the lighter weights may work well for you now. So if you try heavier and have to back off I really wouldn't get concerned about it. Just work at your own pace and listen to your body.

After cardiac rehab, some of the exercise places allow you to continue, just not under the immediate supervision of trained nurses. If at all possible, I suggest you extend your exercise period. That way, if something does happen, you've got the trained staff in the immediate area.

Any exercise is better than none at all. So I applaud you for working at this and trying to extend your limits. Keep up the good work. Your body will thank you.

Hope everything else is going well for you.

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