On this page, we will take you through a typical post-operative exercise routine for a MASA patient. The exercises listed here are isotonic . Isotonic exercise is accomplished by an alternate contraction and relaxation of large muscles. This form of exercise promotes cardiovascular fitness by strengthening the heart muscle. Excellent examples of isotonic exercise are walking, biking, cross-country skiing, and swimming.
Isometric exercise is a sustained contraction of large muscles, such as weight lifting.
A heart attack damages the heart muscle and causes a weakened area. Over an extended period of time a network of capillaries will branch from the main arteries to help transfer blood to and around the area of the heart attack. Over a period of 2 months following a heart attack, a scar will form to strengthen the weakened area. Therefore, any activity performed during this time should not feel strenuous. The average length of stay for a MASA patient is seven to 10 days.