Exercise after 2 weeks

Dear all thank you for letting me in this Club it is really helpful to know that we have common issues and luckily also some very good solutions! I was a very active persone before my PM, it was quite a shock " to receive " it as my life- saving therapy. So l would like to know if anyone of you started some exercises at home like sit ups, crunches or squats and when after the PM. The docs told me to walk, not use my left arm over the shoulder, no rotations, and no weights but to move it to prevents frozen shoulder. I'd like to make some movement to stay fit for my body but l fear that using the core muscles can be dangerous.... any experience to share about that? My PM control with X-rays will be at the end of June.....thanks for any comment and suggestions 

5 Comments

Yes to exercise!

by Persephone - 2021-05-12 15:56:01

Any body-weight core exercises such as you're describing should be absolutely fine.  Any use of weighted plates or similar should be delayed until after you get your clearance next month.  You may want to add a bit of stair climbing to mix in with your walking.  Thanks for the inspiration to get up away from the desk and get moving!

Thanks!

by dia052009 - 2021-05-12 16:40:40

Thanks for your suggestions... l really want to be safe especially l do not want to break leads doing something wrong with my "core". I do not exercise my left arm l'm just moving it ritght below my shoulder line as doc told me to do. So my exercises should be without moving the left arm or at least just rising it in front of me or on my left side below the shoulder line.I hope to have my leads in place for a long long time!!!

go for it

by Tracey_E - 2021-05-13 08:41:15

As long as you aren't picking up anything heavy, raising the arm overhead, and you feel good, go for it. Once you heal, you can go back to weights. 

I have one working lead from 1994, have been doing Crossfit for 10 years. 

Keep working

by Prof P - 2021-05-13 10:18:43

I'm about three weeks post implant (CRT).  I'd agree that there's good reason to do what you're doing as long as you give your surgery-side arm time to heal.  I've found responses to questions here very insightful.  After 40 years of running, I've been running, walking, and on the floor doing crunches.  Moderation is probably wise for now, but activity is very helpful.  

Exercise

by Theknotguy - 2021-05-13 11:02:31

After the skin on the incision area heals over there can be some underlying tissue healing.  It's always best to go slow at first and see how things feel.  Even then, you may pull something and have to regress for a little bit. TraceyE is on the forum a lot and she does extensive physical training.  She will probably be your best source for doing exercise.  Main point being the pacemaker isn't a hindrance to that type of lifestyle.  

I had a lot of trauma prior to getting my pacemaker as I went through two rounds of CPR.  A lot of broken bones, bruising, sore muscles, then the implant area of the pacemaker.  I had a lot of healing to do before I could even think of doing exercising.  I'll relate some things below to you to help you in your decision making.  

After the skin heals over the underlying tissue continues to heal.   You'll sometimes see people reporting on the forum they feel things like "ant bites" and really sore pains in specific areas.  Mostly it's just the nerve tissue regenerating.  While it is scary at first it doesn't really mean anything.  

The skin was healed over on my incision so I felt it was OK to go ahead and start throwing the ball for the dog.  Pushed it a little too hard and I felt something snap in the incision area followed by excruciating pain.  Was concerned at first but it was just scar tissue that I pulled.  Had to hold off throwing the ball for the dog with that arm for another six weeks.  No permanent damage but scary at the time.  

I volunteer at a charity wood shop.  I run all the equipment and have no problem tossing the wood around.  Was limited to about 20 pounds at the first but gradually increased it.  I'd be OK during the day, but the next day it would feel like someone wrapped my pacemaker in sandpaper and scrubbed it around in the pocket.  Heat packs, cold packs, and Tylenol were my friends.  I'd be out for about three days then go back at it again.  That was at nine months out.  At/about a year and a half out I could do anything I wanted.  It just took that long for the underlying tissue to fully heal.  

Mostly it's trying something.  Do light exercise at first.  If it hurts, back off.  Then gradually go back at it again.  If you can, work with a physical or occupational therapist.  The old therapy was no pain, no gain.  The new therapy is to help you exercise to being tired and then stop.  If you hurt they did something wrong.  That may be another option for you too.  

Be prepared for a lot of misinformation.  I was talking with a post implant therapist.  She was saying there is a lifetime limit of 27 pounds lifting of the arm on the pacemaker side.  Questioned that and she couldn't really give me a good reason why.  I was regularly moving 4x8 foot sheets at 55 pounds each.  Then literally walked down three flights of stairs and talked with the security guard who has a pacemaker.  Said he finally broke a lead lifting 300 pound weights.  Figured he was pushing it and wasn't surprised it happened.  But he had been OK lifting weights up to the 300 pound level.  A lot of times misinformation gets repeated over and over and no one knows where it came from and if it's still relevant or not.  

I hope your adjustment to your pacemaker goes well and you can get back into your old routine soon.  
 

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