Forums >Health and Nutrition>Bad advice Re: alleged "warm up angina"?
What the person writing the letter describes sounds like the typical reason we DO a warmup....everybody feels better once their muscles are warmed up and energy systems full engaged to support the exercise. The doctor writing the reply seems to be over-reacting to the description given. However I am aware of several runners who had cardiac issues caught when they went in for checkups after experiencing some chest tightness or weakness issues during the warmup phase, even if they went away after they got going. There was someone here on RA who had a friend die while on a run with them 2-3 years back after describing such a thing.
What the person writing the letter describes sounds like the typical reason we DO a warmup....everybody feels better once their muscles are warmed up and energy systems full engaged to support the exercise.
The doctor writing the reply seems to be over-reacting to the description given. However I am aware of several runners who had cardiac issues caught when they went in for checkups after experiencing some chest tightness or weakness issues during the warmup phase, even if they went away after they got going.
There was someone here on RA who had a friend die while on a run with them 2-3 years back after describing such a thing.
I think these specific symptoms are key. During the warm up phase I breathe harder, but I don't feel short of breath. I may feel tired or generally unenergetic, but not weak. Various core muscles may feel tight in additional to my legs, but not my heart/chest. Virtually all of us feel generally crappy that first mile or so, but generally crappy does not include cardiac symptoms like shortness of breath, chest tightness or feeling so weak/dizzy you are at risk of losing your balance if you stay upright.
not bad for mile 25
if you count the headline, the word angina appears 5 times. I'm not sure I understand your question.
I'm talking about what "Bill" presumably wrote:
Hi Dr. Roberts,
I have been running steady for about five years and completed three marathons. When not in marathon mode I run 3- 4 miles 3 days a week with a long run of 8 miles. I’ve noticed that I always feel better after the 5-mile mark. My heart rate and breathing settle and my muscles stop complaining. My body settles into a rhythm and the running feels very natural. My speed usually increases as well. It’s like I’m finally warmed up or maybe my body has given up complaining and just decided to go with it. Can you help me understand this? Is there a reason for this beyond just endorphins? Thanks for your time.
Sincerely,
Bill
Does anything there indicate angina? If there's more to the letter than presented, then maybe the doctor's response is warranted, but I'm not seeing it otherwise.
OK, I admit it: I just went out to Runner's World (I'm desperately avoiding a boring task at work). The "Ask a Sports Doc" section featured a guy wondering why he starts feeling good about 5 miles into his runs - things get easier, he speeds up, and everything just flows better. The doc's reply? His symptoms are concerning symptom and he should see his doctor. Excuse me? I very often feel better after a few miles. Hell, on some crappy LR days I don't really get into the groove until the 10-mile mark. When I'm not overtrained, my pace is almost always faster in the second half of a run than the first - particularly with shorter- and medium-distance runs. I've always assumed this happens to everyone. No?
OK, I admit it: I just went out to Runner's World (I'm desperately avoiding a boring task at work). The "Ask a Sports Doc" section featured a guy wondering why he starts feeling good about 5 miles into his runs - things get easier, he speeds up, and everything just flows better.
The doc's reply? His symptoms are concerning symptom and he should see his doctor.
Excuse me? I very often feel better after a few miles. Hell, on some crappy LR days I don't really get into the groove until the 10-mile mark. When I'm not overtrained, my pace is almost always faster in the second half of a run than the first - particularly with shorter- and medium-distance runs.
I've always assumed this happens to everyone. No?
RW article
Pointing out the obvious
Warm up angina
I misread the title of this thread. That is all.
I misread the title of this thread.
That is all.
The warm-up you were thinking of is called foreplay. I'm sure it's a great way of feeling better through the first few miles of a run.
An alternate way is to do some dynamic stretches and strides before a run, although it's not as much fun as the above.
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According to my Garmin, on a cold my heart-rate can reach 260 in the first mile and a half, in fact I think it may have reached 420 at one time.
That's pretty impressive.
It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.