Raza been referred to the HF nurse service. He has continued to improve and his drugs are being titrated. He is keen to resume physical activity and has a few questions about what activities are safe for him.
- Raza: So what exercise can I do? I can’t afford to join a gym or anything. That’s why I cycle – it costs nothing.
- HF nurse: There may be cardiac rehabilitation classes available to you on the NHS. They are free.
- Raza: Nah, I’m not really into the group thing.
- HF nurse: A lot of people say that initially, but actually it’s quite a good way of getting support from others who have heart problems.
- Raza: No, really. I’d rather just get back to cycling. Can I do that?
- HF nurse: You can, as long as you start slowly and build up gradually.
- Raza: So maybe I could go back out on my bike next week, at an easy pace?
- HF nurse: I’d suggest a few weeks of walking initially. Cycling tends to be more strenuous than walking because you are exposed to the elements at a faster pace, so the heart has to work harder.
Try to walk most days and increase the duration by 5-10 minutes per week, and progress the pace from ‘light’ to ‘brisk’.
Start and finish your walk at an easier pace, to allow your heart to prepare (warm-up)for, and recover (cool-down) from the activity.
Once you can comfortably manage to walk for about 30 minutes on the flat, start to build up your cycling gradually in the same way you did with your walking, choosing a flat, sheltered route (cycle path) initially, and remembering to incorporate a warm-up and cool down. - Raza: I also like swimming – would that be better? It might be easier to exercise in the water?
- HF nurse:Like cycling, you can gradually return to swimming once you’ve built your fitness up by walking. Swimming is actually considered to be a strenuous activity because in the water, your heart has to work harder, and your blood pressure alters.
It is just as important to warm-up and cool-down in the water, as it is on dry land. Also avoid extremes of temperature, which can affect your blood pressure and heart rhythm. - Raza: What about other, er.bedroom activities?
- HF nurse: There is absolutely no reason why you should not have a normal sexual relationship if you manage your symptoms well. Positions which involve supporting yourself on your arms are likely to feel more strenuous.Remember that there are many ways that you can be intimate without physical exertion if you don’t actually feel like having sexual intercourse.
Pulse point
Cardiac Rehabilitation classes are only available in some areas to patients living with heart failure. However these are becoming more widely available. Check with your local cardiac rehabilitation service regarding access and suitability of your patient.
Page last reviewed: 28 Jul 2020
