WE ALL KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO LOOK AFTER OUR MUSCLES, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE OF ALL – OUR HEART? HERE’S A TRIATHLETE’S GUIDE TO KEEPING YOUR TICKER IN CHECK…
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While we make a conscious effort not to pull a tight hamstring or strain a niggly calf, there’s another more important muscle in the body that we should treat with even greater care, but perhaps rarely consider: our heart.
Research shows that exercise is generally good for the heart, but most of us are aware that, while rare, there can also be occasional complications – with different considerations for triathletes of different ages and different fitness levels.
So, whether you’re an up-and-coming junior or novice in your late 50s, we look at the steps you should take to make sure you’re exercising safely, and give you peace of mind that you can carry on enjoying your swim, bike and running with confidence for years to come.
“The headline is always that the benefits of exercise far outweigh the risks,” says professor Dan Augustine, a consultant sports cardiologist from Bath. “The caveat is that if you’re doing a high volume of exercise over a number of years, the heart can adapt, particularly in endurance sport.”
Augustine’s opening remark sums up the challenge of covering heart health as a topic. While we shouldn’t ignore the risks, we equally shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that some level of exercise is almost universally preferable to staying sedentary.
How widespread are heart issues? “The most recent data we have is from the Football Association,” Augustine explains. “They followed people for up to 20 years and found that approximately one in every 300 that they screened had a cardiac issue that could potentially cause harm.”
POTENTIAL ISSUES
Researchers typically split cohorts into under and over 35s. Or younger and masters athletes, if you prefer. “The cause of sudden death in an under 35 is usually rhythm disturbances of the heart – electrical activity that goes awry and causes a collapse or cardiac arrest,” Augustine explains. “The next most common cause is a structural problem of the heart muscle; being thicker or not pumping as well as it should. So, it’s electrical problems or pump problems.”
Amateur triathletes over the age of 35 should consider different pathologies. “Our overall cardiac risk increases as we get older no matter how fit we are,” Augustine says. “Ninety percent of people dying of heart attacks will be in middle age or older. Take a view on your personal health first. Think about your
