After a diagnosis of coronary heart disease, exercise can play a crucial role in improving heart health, managing symptoms, and increasing overall fitness.

Not all exercises are safe for those with coronary heart disease (CHD), especially when the heart is healing or functioning under stress.

If you have coronary heart disease, it’s essential to approach exercise with caution. While regular physical activity is important for heart health, certain exercises can put undue strain on the heart, potentially leading to complications.

HIIT involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by rest periods. While this training method can be highly effective for increasing cardiovascular fitness, it can be risky for individuals with CHD.

The sudden spikes in intensity may cause your heart to work harder than it’s capable of, potentially leading to irregular heart rhythms or other complications.

Alternative exercises: Low to moderate aerobic exercises, such as walking, cycling, or swimming, are better choices for individuals with CHD. These exercises allow you to maintain a steady, controlled pace, which promotes heart health.

Heavy weightlifting may put significant stressTrusted Source on the heart, particularly if you are lifting near-maximal loads. Lifting heavy weights increases intra-abdominal pressure and may lead to a rise in blood pressure.

For those with CHD, this spike in blood pressure could be harmful.

Alternative exercises: If strength training is important for you, opt for light to moderate weights and focus on higher repetitions. Resistance exercises using body weight (like squats, lunges, or wall pushups) or lighter dumbbells can be safer while still providing benefits to overall muscle strength. You may also want to try using weighted machines, which may be safer than free weights due to the stability of the machine and the ability to control the resistance.

High impact activities like running or jumping or activities that involve sudden, forceful movements may increase the risk of injury, especially for people with CHD. These exercises may be jarring on the joints and could cause excessive strain on the heart. Moreover, activities that involve rapid acceleration or deceleration may also put undue pressure on the cardiovascular system.

Alternative exercises: Consider low impact exercises, such as walking, stationary cycling, or swimming. These activities provide a cardiovascular workout without the intense impact on the joints or heart.

Engaging in vigorous sports like basketball, football, or soccer may be very demanding on the cardiovascular system.

These activities often involve sudden bursts of intense activity, rapid changes in direction, and high levels of exertion. For someone with CHD, these fast-paced movements may trigger symptoms like shortness of breath.

Alternative exercises: Lower intensity sports, such as golf or doubles tennis, may be better choices. These activities allow for moderate exertion with less risk of sudden, intense movements.

Skipping warmups and cooldownsTrusted Source can be particularly harmful for those with CHD. A warmup helps gradually increase the heart rate, preparing it for more intense activity, while a cooldown allows the heart to return to its resting rate.

It’s vital to incorporate a gentle warmup, such as walking or light stretching, and follow up with a cooldown period to help your body recover after exercise. This will help prevent sudden changes in heart rate and blood pressure.

Exercise is an essential part of managing coronary heart disease, but it’s crucial to approach it with care.

Opting for moderate aerobic activities like walking, swimming, or cycling and incorporating light strength training can be a great way to take care of your heart.

It’s important to talk with your doctor before starting any new exercise program and remember to listen to your body’s signals to ensure a safe fitness journey.