Running is a great aerobic exercise. Regular running or walking can even prevent dangerous health problems by reducing weight and improving blood pressure.
But! Sometimes excessive exercise can increase the risk of heart problems. It is important to recognize discomfort in the upper chest when exercising, especially if you have previously had heart problems or surgery. If you feel chest pain while running, this is a clear signal to change your workout routine.
In general, moderate physical activity is safe for most people. Moreover, it is necessary for good health. In most cases, people with heart issues can also run without fear. But problems can occur if you have one or more of the following risk factors:
- overweight
- high blood pressure
- smoking
- recently had a heart attack or other manifestations of heart problems
- low activity level for a long time.
Remember that these factors are not a ban on running. They are a reason to pay more attention to yourself and respond to your body’s signals. When faced with these risk factors, it is better to start with fast walking or slow running.
Signs of Chest Pain after Running
If you suspect possible cardiovascular system problems or have already had heart problems, the symptoms may vary from time to time. Here is a list of warning signs. If you experience any of them, you should stop exercising immediately and consult a doctor. These same signs indicate heart problems at any time, not just when you’re running.
- Chest discomfort. Often people think that with a heart attack, there is a sharp, severe pain in the chest. But it can be a feeling of compression, overflow, and intermittent or low-intensity pressure in the center of the chest.
- Difficulty breathing. It goes without saying that if you do intense intervals or a long run at a high pace, your breathing will be frequent and deep. You should be alarmed by difficulty breathing and a feeling of lack of air. These are often signs of a heart attack. Do not wait for chest pain – immediately stop, rest, and seek help if the condition does not improve.
- Difficulty in breathing can be caused by other reasons – intercostal neuralgia and other problems with the spine, diseases of the respiratory organs. That’s why seeking medical attention is especially important if you experience sudden shortness of breath while running to learn the cause.
- Dizziness or a feeling of fainting, darkening of the eyes. You will get tired while running, but you should never feel dizzy or pass out. If you have any of these symptoms, you need to stop immediately.
- An irregular heartbeat. When you run, your heart rate and the amount of blood pumped will increase to the point that you can feel your heartbeat. But you must have a regular rhythm of equal strength. Any interruptions in the heart’s rhythm – the loss of individual beats, noticeable irregularity, frequent weak heartbeat – is an alarming sign.
- Discomfort or numbness in other parts of the body. With a heart attack or an attack of angina pectoris, the pain can radiate (be felt elsewhere, not in the chest) to the shoulder, arm, back, neck, stomach, or jaw.
- Nausea and cold sweat. Of course, you sweat when you run. But severe sweating with cold skin, tremors, and nausea is alarming.
Any of these symptoms is a reason to urgently consult a doctor. You can wait a few minutes (maximum 5) and monitor your status.
How to Prevent Heart pain in Athletes
You should do a treadmill or ECG test and use a heart rate monitor while running to stay within the target heart rate.
If you decide to prepare well for training and get examined, do both an ultrasound (EchoCG) and an ECG.
Ultrasound will show whether everything is fine with the heart’s structure (whether all its walls are developed, all valves open and close, and the presence of any pathological formations).
The ECG will show how the heart works – how the impulse is conducted through the muscle, what the rhythm is, and how the myocardium reacts to the lack of oxygen during exercise.
Also, before starting running, it is recommended to determine your physical fitness level.
Suitable for this purpose:
- endurance test using squats;
- Rufier index;
- shoulder muscle strength and endurance test;
- Robinson index;
According to the test results, a training program is selected. If chest pains appear during or after exercise, you need to identify the trigger.
It is best to monitor your well-being daily and keep a diary. This will allow you to choose the best training option for each day, considering all lifestyle changes. To prevent heart discomfort after running, you need to:
- be examined by a cardiologist;
- refuse to smoke;
- eat well, get enough sleep;
- have the drinking regimen (35–50 ml of water/1 kg of body weight);
- warm-up before training;
- start with minimal loads at low-intensity workout;
- gradually increase the complexity of the program.
If you have problems with your cardiovascular system, reorganize your training schedule so that it is dominated by low-tempo runs. Be sure to take your phone with you in case of an emergency. Stop at the slightest discomfort. Remember, running should make you healthier and stronger, not vice versa, and it’s totally under your power to make it so.
