An exercise routine is an important part of your home recovery.  It is as important as taking your medications.  The purpose of these guidelines is to help you to recognize what is a safe exercise level for you and to establish a daily exercise routine after your surgery.

Before you begin exercising, warm-up for five to 10 minutes with the exercises your physician has provided you.   Also, it is equally important to cool-down after exercising.  This can be accomplished by decreasing your pace for three to five minutes at the end of your exercise session.

If you plan to exercise outdoors keep these things in mind:

• Avoid exercising in extreme temperatures.  If the humidity plus the temperature is about 150 degrees, you should not exercise outdoors.
• If the temperature is below 32 degrees your should not exercise outdoors.
• Make sure to dress according to the weather.  During the summer your clothes should be loose fitting and preferably 100% cotton.
• During colder temperatures dress in layers so articles can be removed as your body temperature changes.
• Allow at least one to two hours after a meal before exercising.
• When walking alone, always let someone know where you are.
• Carry your nitroglycerin with you at all times
• Always face traffic when walking (two heads are better than one.)
• During your exercise you should be able to carry on a conversation without being short of breath.  If you can not walk and talk, slow down.
• Excessive fatigue that lasts more than one hour after exercise is an indication that you have done too much.

During your exercise, let your heart rate (pulse) be your guide.  A normal response to exercise is an increase in heart rate.  Prior to starting your exercise program, determine your resting heart rate by checking your pulse.  Once you have determined you resting heart rate, you can figure out your target heart rate range.  Your target heart rate is a heart rate range, which is beneficial for strengthening your heart.   Your target heart rate should be your resting heart rate plus 20 to 30 beats.

For example: If you determine your resting heart rate is 60 beats per minute, your target heart rate range during exercise will be (60+20) = 80 to (60+30) = 90 beats per minute.  Make sure to check your heart rate during the middle of your exercise to determine if you are within your target heart rate.

Do not exercise or stop exercising if you notice any of the following:

• Chest, neck, jaw, teeth, shoulder or arm pain that is unusual
• Abnormal shortness of breath
• Dizziness or nausea
• Ankle swelling or increase in weight
• Heart rate about target heart rate range
• Skipped beats that appear more frequently than usual
• Joint, muscle or ligament pain/problems

Some ideas for exercising are walking, bicycling or swimming (with physician approval).  Wear a watch to determine how long you have exercised. If exercising outdoors, start your return trip at halfway time.  Make sure that your exercise area is free from obstacles such as a dog, traffic, etc.

The following schedule is a guide for how long you should be exercising: