Keep Fit before Heart Surgery
Being fit and active before surgery can improve not only your recovery time but help prevent infection. Research has proven that if you do regular exercise before surgery were able to leave hospital earlier.
Most patients are advised to do 30 mins of brisk walking or cycling 2-3 times a week.
Exercising helps you produce endorphins, which reduce feelings of pain and help you feel less stressed.
Taking regular exercise is more likely to do you good rather than harm. If you have any concerns ask your specialist or GP.
What Type of Exercise?
Start gently with just 10 minutes or so of walking a day. Anything is better than nothing.
Gradually build up the speed of the walk to the level where your heart is beating faster but you can still talk.
Another form of excellent exercise is bicycling.
Avoid hard exercise such as heavy gardening and weight lifting.
How Hard should I Exercise?
You should feel your heart beating faster. You should be a little bit out of breath but this should recover quickly when you stop the exercise. You should not feel unwell or dizzy during or after the exercise.
Pain is a bad sign so if you experience pain be cautious.
Are There Some Conditions where Exercise is not Recommended
Yes there are but your specialist will tell you if you have any of these such as AAA or ARVC.