What sports should people with heart disease play?

I have high blood pressure, playing tennis for about 30 minutes makes me tired. Is this strenuous sport not suitable for me? How should people with cardiovascular disease exercise? (Tan Binh, 51 years old, Ho Chi Minh City)

Reply:

You show signs of fatigue after 30 minutes of playing tennis, which could be due to many reasons such as not warming up properly leading to muscle strain, playing when the body is tired, exercising too frequently, the sport is not suitable for your current health or coronary artery stenosis.

You should exercise from light to increasing intensity. Each session, you should spend the first 10 minutes doing light intensity exercises, then gradually increase according to your health condition. About 30-45 minutes a day, 5-7 days a week, an average of 150 minutes a week. If while exercising you have chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea... you should stop all activities immediately and see a doctor soon.

If you have cardiovascular disease, specifically high blood pressure, you should see a cardiologist so that the doctor can advise you on appropriate exercises and screen for coronary artery stenosis, heart valve disease, etc.

People in their 50s and 60s are no longer as strong as they were in their twenties, so they should not play sports that require as much strength as when they were young. As we age, muscle mass decreases, exercise helps maintain and even increase muscle mass, preventing cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, Alzheimer's, arthritis, osteoporosis, etc. Balance exercises are important, preventing falls, and maintaining mobility.

Cardiovascular patients should exercise based on factors such as health status, preferences, and doctor's recommendations. Below are some sports patients can consider.

Walking: Exercise increases physical strength, lower body muscle strength, and fights diseases such as osteoporosis, arthritis, and osteoarthritis.

Jogging: If you want to sweat more, jog to increase your heart rate. You should run on a flat surface such as a trail, grass, or treadmill, wearing suitable shoes.

Dancing: This exercise improves endurance, strengthens muscles and balance. It burns a lot of calories because you have to move in all directions, creating a feeling of relaxation and joy.

Golf: The benefits of golf come largely from the walking involved. On average, a round of the course takes more than 10,000 steps, equivalent to 8 km. A swing also requires good balance, composure and concentration.

Cycling: This is good for people with pain or stiffness in their joints because the legs do not have to bear the weight of the body. Cycling helps blood circulation and strengthens the muscles in the legs and hips. At the same time, the rider uses the abdominal muscles to maintain balance and the arms and shoulders to control the bike.

Badminton, table tennis : Racket sports such as badminton and table tennis help increase endurance, quick reactions, reduce bad cholesterol (LDL-C) and increase good cholesterol (HDL-C). The sport also helps strengthen the bones of the arms, waist, and neck. However, practitioners need to pay attention to the appropriate frequency and intensity of exercise.

Swimming: When swimming, the joints are not weighed down by the body's weight, and the impact of the water helps build skeletal muscle. Swimming burns calories and increases cardiovascular activity like running and cycling, but without overheating the body. Exercising in water helps improve the mind of people with chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia.

Yoga : Yoga movements help increase tension and strength of muscles, tendons and ligaments between bones, while reducing heart rate, blood pressure, anxiety and depression.

Tai Chi: A static exercise that moves the body from one position to another while breathing deeply, improving balance, improving bone and heart health, and reducing pain and stiffness. It also helps you sleep better.

Master, Doctor, Specialist II Huynh Thanh Kieu
Head of Cardiology Department 1, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City

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