Activity and Exercise
It is important for you to get active. Get more
exercise. You may choose between cycling or
walking as your main exercise.
Benefits of regular exercise
These exercises promote cardiovascular fitness.
They have been shown to reduce the risk of heart
disease.
 walking
 running
 jogging
 cycling
 swimming
 dancing
Cardiovascular fitness allows you to exercise
longer. It also allows you to respond to sudden
physical or emotional demands without getting so
tired. Physically fit people have more endurance
or stamina. They are able to supply more energy
to their muscles and work harder with less effort.
How to stay motivated to exercise
Beginning an exercise
program is not easy. It is
even harder to keep it up
in the months and years
ahead. Once the newness
of exercise wears off, it is
easy to neglect. When you
really understand how
important it is for your heart, it’s easier to make
exercise a priority.
Make exercise more fun
• Select an activity that is both practical and
enjoyable.
• Set long-range as well as short-term goals for
yourself. Examples are distance walked, pounds
lost, or miles biked.
• Do your exercise with neighbors, friends, and
family members whenever you can.
• Set aside specific times and days of the week to
exercise.
• Remember that you
will feel like exercising
some days more than
others.
• Be patient! It may
take two months to a year to develop a higher
level of cardiovascular fitness.
• Include both a warm-up and cool-down in your
routine.
• Be positive. Don’t despair over missing a day.
• Establish a reward system. Give yourself a prize
for success. Good examples are a new pair of
shoes, exercise wear, or dinner at your favorite
restaurant.
• Use quality exercise equipment and shoes.
• Exercise to music.
• Realize that you control the success of your
exercise program.
Stretching
When the muscles around a joint move and
lengthen normally, the joint can go through its full
range of motion. Walking, jogging, bicycling,
swimming, and other similar exercises tend to
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shorten your muscles. Stretching before and after
you exercise will keep you more flexible and
prevent soreness and injury.
Flexibility
the ability to move your hips,
knees, shoulders, back and other
joints as far as your body was made
to move them
Benefits of stretching
 helps surgical incisions to heal
 reduces muscle tension
 improves coordination
 prepares and warms the muscles to accept
more strenuous exercise
How to do your stretches
• Do all stretches slowly from beginning to end.
Do not bounce.
• Stretch until you feel mild tension. Do not go
any farther.
• Hold each stretch for 5-10 seconds. Then relax.
• Breathe with a normal rhythm as you stretch. Do
not hold your breath.
• Stretch before and after each workout.
About walking
• It is very important to do your warm-up and
cool-down exercises or stretches before you walk.
• Walk at a comfortable pace. Do not become so
breathless that you cannot have a conversation.
• Walk when you are rested.
• Avoid walking immediately after meals. Wait at
least one hour.
• Avoid walking or cycling outside when it is very
hot or cold. During these times, try walking in a
mall instead.
Goals for walking
Week 1:Begin with a 5-10 minute walk twice a day
Week 2: Build to a 10-20 minute walk twice a day
Week 3: Build to a 20-30 minute walk daily
Call your doctor if you have any of
these symptoms during or after
exercise
• light-headedness or dizziness
• loss of balance
• nausea or vomiting
• feeling very tired longer than 24 hours
• pale, cool skin
• irregular heart beat or pulse
• an unusual joint, muscle, or ligament problem
Call 911 or go to your local emergency
Stretching helps you “tune in” to your body. Make
sure you do each stretch properly. Stretches should
never cause these symptoms.
Tell your nurse or therapist if you have
• shortness of breath
• dizziness
• chest pain
• severe muscle pain
number if you have
• chest discomfort whether or not it moves out to
your neck, ears, jaw, teeth, arms, stomach or back
• uncomfortable shortness of breath that lasts more
than 10 minutes
• pounding heart, called palpitations
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Patient & Family Centered Care HC-0019 06/09