My coach, Chris Haute, sends my workouts via http://workoutlog.com/log/
Hi folks,
You hear of exercise being touted as a cure-all, whereas it can clearly be risky in certain situations. For instance, if you are diagnosed with Type II Diabetes are there amounts and types of exercise that are contra-indicated (not good in your situation)? I bet there are! This is true of age (too much bouncing on a trampoline when you are young may induce Osgood-Schlatter), when you are short of sleep raising kids (too much added exercise may induce stress and all of it’s ramifications), and when you are older (excessive training is rumored to account for older athletes dying in their swimming trunks or running shoes during competition, not to mention knee injuries and the like).
On of the two types of leg press machine at my gym http://goo.gl/YP2p4. Notice the similarity of the action to that of a rowing machine.
[As an aside: the latter reports of a miniscule number athletes dying during races is never matched, as far as I can tell, by an exciting frontpage headline account of some fat, lazy dude in front of a TV eating potato chips with his fifth beer, and keeling over from a heart attack. Or add smoking and his dying of lung cancer or slowly 'drowning' with emphysema. These events just aren't exciting anymore, just like the average road fatality, as it happens all the time. If it is headline news, I suspect that it is not common whatever it is, including athletes dying in their tracks (happy tracks for that matter!). When people find out that I still enter Ironman races they'll often tell me some story they read of a person dying in a race, as if it is some kind of wise advice for me to back off from my training, whereas I suspect that they are using the 'news' to justify their own inactivity. No, just get a good coach and enjoy your life. You know that old bumper sticker: 'Work out; Eat well; Die anyway! Well, live well, I say.]
Squat cage at my gym http://goo.gl/YP2p4, which avoids the need for a spotter as the side bars will catch your weight bar if you have to 'let go.'
I guess the real question from my perspective is how do you obtain information on do’s and don’ts for your specific condition? In my case it was an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) stent graft. I was told that I could exercise after a few weeks, but not to overdo it. That was it! I wasn’t happy about that limited piece of (mis)advice, so I did some research and then published the one useful paper that I found on this issue on this blog. This paper indicated that a number of things are best avoided if you are in my situation as you may move your stent; a potentially fatal event. These things included car wrecks with a lap belt, a Heimlich maneuver, and intense rowing. You can avoid using lap belts, I doubt risk benefit analysis would induce you to reject the Heimlich maneuver, even if you were able to, whilst you would be well-advised to forego rowing, which is why I dropped the rowing machine from my regular warmup routine at the gym.
I am currently undertaking strength training as I prepare for my next Ironman season, and I recently received a weight room workout from my coach, which included the following exercise:
12. Leg Press (glutes and quads; most important exercise for developing power on bike). Beginning position: Start seated on the sled with your knees bent and feet roughly shoulder width apart. Ending position: Legs extended fully.
So I climbed on the seat of the machine that I preferred (reclined diagonal, not the one in the picture!) before I received my stent, started the exercise, and then I thought, “this is a bad idea, it feels a lot like the rowing machine.” So I stopped immediately as I was feeling pressure in the lower abdomen, even if I kept my knee angle at 90 degrees and above. Here was a clear example of my body saying “DON’T DO THAT!” Was my coach going to know this? No, why should he?My surgeon? Bet he isn’t even that interested as he is too busy! It was, therefore, up to me. I’ll report it back to my coach, so he can keep it in mind for my later workouts. Oddly enough this lower abdominal pressure sensation does not occur in the ‘squat cage,’ so I’ll pick up extra quad work in there in addition to increasing my leg extensions and lunges. No problem and no unnecessary risk!
The bottom line: we generally will have to work it out for ourselves, unless there is a helpful website or online forum (see Useful Links on this site for examples), and even then it is your decision as to what you do at the end of the day, as each case is an individual not a statistic. The real trick is to understand your condition and listen to your body.
-k @FitOldDog
Important Note: These posts do not provide medical advice. You should always consult your physician before undertaking or significantly modifying an exercise program.
Copyright © 2010 Kevin T. Morgan aka FitOldDog, Old Dogs in Training, LLC.
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Hi, I am Major Baleegh from Pak Army, PAKISTAN aged 42, I have under gone angioplasty in Sep 2012 at a military hospital in Pakistan and a drug eluded stent was placed in my LAD artery. I developed chest pain on 8th Sep 2012, and after the stress test a drug eluded stent with the name of Xenix prime was installed on 12th Sep 2012. I used to go for jogging on daily basis which was stopped by my physician. He directed me to go for evening walk which is still failed to do so. I was a heavy smoker i.e. 40 to 50 cigarettes a day which after the procedure has been reduced to 15 to 20 cigarettes. I have a blood sugar problem as well which is taken care of with the use of Neodipar on twice a day usage. I was overweight but now I have reduced a bit and I am almost within range. I develop pain a couple of weeks ago on my upper part of right foot, in my left wrist and left forehead, could you please guide me something regarding these issued; more so I tried to quit smoking but failed miserably, how to quit do advise something for this issue as well. My cholesterol remains within range but my triglycerides are way up the limit; do advise something to control them as well. I hope I have taken a considerable time of yours but if you reply with some details I will be highly obliged. Now; as regard my breathlessness was concerned I have no problem at all and there is no problem in the stent as well. I am taking Lowplat Plus 75 (1 x Tablet), Neodipar 500 (1 x Tablet) and Carsel (1 x Tablet) in the morning while in the evening I am taking (1 x Tablet) of Neodipar 500 and (1 x Tablet) of Lipirix 10 mg. Apart from all this I am heaving constipation and gas in my body, hope you can help me with this. Thanks once again, take care.
Major Baleegh
Hi Major Baleegh, boy, you are going through it. From what I’ve read, LAD coronary stents are pretty effective with a good prognosis long-term. My immediate advice to you (as a veterinarian athlete, not a doctor) is to make all changes slowly, including giving up smoking. Smoking cessation is pretty stressful, all by it’s self. I’m in a hotel right now, and about to have breakfast, which closes in minute. I’ll write my detailed thoughts later today. Watch out for all those pills. Getting in shape is key, but you have to be careful, consistent, and patient. Be back soon, sorry for the delay. You’ll make it out of this. The GI problems could be diet, lack of exercise, drugs, or possible diverticulitis. which comes along with AAA. Will get back to you soon. Keep good records of all symptoms, though you seem to have that nailed. Hang in there, as you have quite a challenge, I can see. Kind Regards, Kevin Morgan aka FitOldDog.