“You cannot go for your daily walk, you just had a stent procedure done.”
“You cannot wander around in your garden, you need to take complete rest to recover.”
“You cannot ride your bicycle like before, you might get a chest pain.”
Hold on! These are some of the common misconceptions around stent procedures and we need to debunk such myths.
If you had a stent procedure done, you can very well return to your normal life just after a week. Yes, you heard it right! You can indulge yourself in all sorts of light to moderate activities like walking, making your bed, helping your wife in household chores, light gardening etc. Gradually you may even return to your gym after 4-5 weeks.
But if you are not a gym person, no worries. We have listed some simple yet effective exercises which you can do after a stent procedure:
1. Walking
Regular walking can help reduce blood pressure and get rid of that extra pound from your body. Start with a slow pace and gradually increase the speed and distance.
2. Swimming/Biking
As a part of stent procedure recovery, it is important to elevate your heart rate but for a short period. Performing some intense exercise followed by easy ones can make your heart beat faster. Here is a simple set of exercise which you can follow: Start with warming up for 5-10 minutes on an exercise bike; next pedal fast for 30 seconds. After the 30 seconds do an easy spin for two minutes as your heart rate comes down. Repeat this for 7-8 rounds and cool down with an easy five minutes of pedaling.
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3. Sit-To-Stand
This is one of the most effective exercises as it uses some of the largest and important muscles of your body. On a chair, try doing 12 sit-to-stands, two or three times a day.
4. Overhead press
This is a classic exercise for upper body strength. Starting with a standing position, hold a pair of light dumbbells (you can even use your filled water bottles) at shoulder height. Extend your arms overhead until they are straight. Lower the weight back down gradually. Repeat 10 to 12 times.
5. Wood-chop
This exercise helps develop a strong core, important for balance, coordination and overall strength. With both hands, hold a manageable weight to one side of your head. Bring the weight diagonally downward across the front of the body to the opposite hip by rotating your torso and slightly bending your knees. Return to the starting position following the same path. Repeat 10-12 times.
Some more health tips to follow after a stent procedure:
1. Get a cardiac rehabilitation program done by a therapist to monitor your exercise plan to prevent any injury.
2. Wait at least 90 minutes after eating to exercise
2. Take 5 minutes to warm up before aerobic activity
3. Start slowly and increase your activity level gradually
4. Don’t sit down immediately after exercise; take 5 minutes to cool down
5. Stay hydrated and wear the correct clothing and shoes
6. Avoid exercising outdoors when temperatures are too high or low
The bottom line:
It’s important to remember that you can live a full and active life with a coronary stent. But be sure to talk to your doctor about what’s right for your specific situation or before you get into any structured exercises (gym, tennis, workouts etc).
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