Exercising regularly is a great way to stay fit, lose weight and increase your strength and muscle size. However, in rare instances, you may be faced with a medical condition or injury related to your body's reaction to strenuous exercise or physical activity. One example of such a condition is an irregular heartbeat. While not always a sign of a more serious medical condition, irregular heartbeats should be taken seriously, and often require some form of medical attention.
Definition
There are many medical conditions that can contribute to an irregular heartbeat, also called arrhythmia. This is defined as any change in the natural rhythm or function of the cardiac muscles that work to pump your heart and move blood throughout your body. There are many different types of arrhythmias that may be contributing to your irregular heartbeat during exercise.
Atrial Fibrillation and Flutter
Atrial fibrillation occurs when the electrical signals in the upper chambers of the heart become disorganized or unsynced, thus leading to an irregular contraction rhythm throughout the heart muscle. This interruption in your heart's rhythm can lead to an irregular heartbeat and possible cardiac arrest. Atrial flutter, on the other hand, is an abnormal conduction path within the upper chamber of the heart that typically causes an increased rhythm in your heart's contraction cycle.
Bradycardia and Tachycardia
Two additional irregular heartbeat conditions that can be brought on by exercise include bradycardia and tachycardia. In the case of the former, your heart rhythm slows down considerably despite the level of physical activity or exertion experienced by your body; the latter condition describes a heart rhythm that is too fast following normal physical activity.
Considerations
Many heart rhythm medical conditions are also accompanied by dizziness, nausea, vomiting or high blood pressure, among other symptoms. If you experience an irregular heartbeat and any of these associated symptoms, stop exercising immediately and seek prompt medical attention. While exercising, be sure to include multiple periods of rest as a means to limit injury and fatigue, and to give you heart time to reset its natural rhythm.
