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Heart Failure: Activity and Exercise

Table of Contents


Overview

Regular activity has many benefits for people who have heart failure. It may help you to:

If you aren't already active, talk with your doctor before you start an exercise program. Of course, what's safe for you depends on how bad your heart failure is. But even if you can do only a small amount of exercise, it's better than not doing any exercise at all.


How can you safely start an exercise program?

Making a plan for safe activity

If you have heart failure, it's important to be careful when you are active. If you exercise too much or too hard, you may put too much stress on your heart. And that can make your heart failure worse.

Work with your doctor to build a plan before you start exercising. Together you can create a plan that will keep you active, healthy, and safe.

Tracking your activity

Tracking your activity can help you see what you're doing well and where you could improve. Seeing your progress can inspire you to keep doing the things that are working well.

Many people use a fitness app to track their activity. Many of the apps are free.

If you prefer, you can write down your activity in a notebook. Bring your tracker to doctor visits to talk about your progress and how you're feeling.

Some ideas for things you can track include:

Staying with your plan

Here are some ideas to help you stay with your exercise plan.

Getting support

It's common to want to do things on our own, without help. But if you have heart failure and you want to be more active, support from others can make a big difference.

Many people find that involving others really helps when trying to reach goals.

So ask yourself: who could help you be more active? And how could they help?

Support can come in different ways. It might come from your care team, cardiac rehab, or a support group. Or it could come from family, friends, neighbors, or pets.

Here are some ideas for getting support. It may help to write down your thoughts.


Credits for Heart Failure: Activity and Exercise

Current as of: June 24, 2023

Author: Healthwise Staff (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
Clinical Review Board (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.


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