Is there a Doctor in the house? - Vet question

[jspierre]

Need some cardiological advice: one year, while in my mid-forties, it struck me that my heart rate in practice, especially in lessons, was running very high. So I bought a heart monitor, wore it in practice, and noticed that during my lessons, my peak heart rate was hitting 180 beats per minute. Cardo training at the high end of my age-weighted range probably equates to around 160 beats per minute. Fencing, at my age, takes me, for however briefly (1-3 minuets, several times in a lesson) well above what the charts would suggest is optimal (?), safe (?), sustainable (?).

Now, my physical condition is excellent. My doctor, when he looks at my cardiogram, thinks I'm Lance Armstrong. My blood pressure, cholesterol, etc are all very good, and I feel fine.

Question is, as I push into my upper forties, am I taking a significant risk placing this much stress on my heart during fencing practice?

Anyone have similar concerns or guidance?

[noodle]

ask your doctor.

[Insipiens]

Please tell me the title for this thread is deliberate.
I really hope you wanted to ask a doctor a veterinary question.

Edit as that is off topic: really ask your doctor. If you don't trust him/her ask a second doctor.
Not that advice on here may not be comforting, worryinng etc. It just should not be relied on in terms of your own health.

[Peach]

I routinely go up to 180 peak heart rate when I'm working hard, and I'm in my upper 50s and (usually, though not at this instant) in great shape. My doctor paid no attention when I mentioned it. I think those charts are designed (a) using a function extrapolated on insufficient data about our age group (b) intended for use in conditioning rather than a reflection of what actually happens in competition (c) highly decorative.

Ask your doctor, assuming your doctor has more than 30 seconds available to talk with you about anything whatsoever.

[noodle]

Please tell me the title for this thread is deliberate.
I really hope you wanted to ask a doctor a veterinary question.

i think he was referring to the fact that he's a vet fencer.

[the ancient one]

My doctor is a fencer.

Not so uncommon.

Well, not doctors who are fencers;

I mean fencers who are doctors.

[Zilverzmurfen]

Please tell me the title for this thread is deliberate.
I really hope you wanted to ask a doctor a veterinary question.

i think he was referring to the fact that he's a vet fencer.

All he needs now is a lab test and a cat scan...

[NSXER]

http://www.stevenscreek.com/goodies/hr.html

[Insipiens]

i think he was referring to the fact that he's a vet fencer.

really?
I think zz got my point

[crquack]

Your maximum predicted heart rate is 220-age, but this can be out by as much as 20%.

If you have no symptoms while you exercise why worry? You should be pleased that you can rev up your heart to a good rate.

If you are really concerned, get a stress test.

[finnfence]

My GP is a cardiologist. He basically said, use common sense and pay attention to how you're feeling. If you feel yucky, then slow it down. If you feel fine, then it's fine. Of course, he runs marathons himself, so he has a different perspective on these things from someone who isn't an athlete.

[finnfence]

I also routinely tell treadmills that I'm 25, because if I tell them I'm 40 they don't go fast enough for me to get anything like a satisfying run (actually they never go fast enough to do wind sprint training no matter how young you say you are....grumble...but that's a different issue). Anyhow, I haven't mutated yet, so I suppose that it's ok to go with what your actual physiological age seems to be instead of whatever your chronological age is.

[TBean]

My doctor asked me that while my heart-rate exceeds maximum how long does it take for it settle back down to a more normal pace. Because I am in dencent condition the answer is quickly - so she was not concerned for my overall heart-health. So if your heart-rate also settles back down you might have less to worry about.

You should, of course, ask your own doctor for thier opinion on the subject.

[jspierre]

My doctor asked me that while my heart-rate exceeds maximum how long does it take for it settle back down to a more normal pace. Because I am in dencent condition the answer is quickly - so she was not concerned for my overall heart-health. So if your heart-rate also settles back down you might have less to worry about.

You should, of course, ask your own doctor for thier opinion on the subject.

Thanks for some of the replys with good input. Don't know what the medical services are like around, but where I live, you can't see a cardiologist unless you're dying, and then with a surgeon, they can do amazing things. If you just need some good old fashioned guidance on physiological stress related to sports activities, better to ask you all, then waste time trying to get an office visit. The doctor would probably just grunt, anyway, then stick me with a way high bill over some co-pay.

But we shouldn't get started about health care in America...... bad subject.....

[JEC]

My friend,
If you stop fencing, I would lose a worthy opponent and go one spot in the Vet ME rankings. As a doctor, I can not give you advice particularly in an area away out of my specialty. Thus, I am not providing you with medical advice. However, as a fellow V40 ME fencer of pretty much same age but in worse physicial shape (i.e.: more rounded than you), my heart rate does the same while fencing and during a good lesson. I have been told that it is ok for me.
Regards,
JEC

[KD5MDK]

I'm just going to admire that you have Pindar in your .sig line.

[jspierre]

My friend,
If you stop fencing, I would lose a worthy opponent and go one spot in the Vet ME rankings. As a doctor, I can not give you advice particularly in an area away out of my specialty. Thus, I am not providing you with medical advice. However, as a fellow V40 ME fencer of pretty much same age but in worse physicial shape (i.e.: more rounded than you), my heart rate does the same while fencing and during a good lesson. I have been told that it is ok for me.
Regards,
JEC

Thanks, JEC, and likewise. Life vy busy now, and with change of clubs in NY, a delayed start to my training. We'll be around....