Date: 2022-02-15
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So, I had a heart attack in July 2021 due to overexertion. Someone was having way too much fun with their shovel while out in the garden. In addition to a acquiring an expensive, shiny new stint, I had the opportunity to undergo cardiac rehabilitation at a local hospital. The staff have helped me regain my ability to backpack again, but in a safer, informed manner.My local hospital offers a healthy heart program for just $35/month. Take advantage of these facilities and professionals, if you have access. My program has three exercise days each week. Weight, blood pressure, pulse and oxygen levels are checked before, during and after exercise by medical staff. Most of the equipment provides immediate feedback on my pulse and also my energy expenditure in metabolic equivalent (METs).METS are a system to measure how hard you're exercising. One MET is sitting still. Two METs is twice the energy of sitting and so on. Backpacking averages about 7 METS. At least once, A.T. hikers backpacking the Virginia triple crown section have been connected to heart rate monitors. While their energy expended ranged from 3 to 13 METs, "... the absolute intensity during hiking averaged 6.6 METs ..." during their five day section. METs are my carrot.A safe way to build up METs is with a treadmill. Charts and calculators are available that convert speed in mph and grade in degrees into METs. For example, 3 mph at 4% grade is 5 METs. So is 2.2 mph at 8% grade and 1.4 mph at 15% grade. The Bruce stress test used by cardiologists typically starts at 1.7 mph at 10% grade for 4.6 METs for three minutes. Next is 2.5 mph at 12% grade for 7 METs. Then 3.4 mph at 14 % grade for 10 METs. By the way, average backpacking speed is about 2.2 mph. Most hikers average 1 mph uphill.After the holidays I started adding pack weight to my treadmill sessions. Simply adding five pounds of pack weight will stress your body. Be ready to reduce speed and/or elevation. I've found I can tolerate the higher elevations by slowly adding 1% grade every two minutes. The photo above shows me with 13.6 pounds (10 pounds of rice) walking 2.2 mph at 10% grade (5.7 METs). One of the best $10 I've ever spent is for a small rechargeable pulse-oxygen meter. The staff helped me calculate my safe pulse range. Start by subtracting your age from 220. Being 64, that results in 156. Then calculate 80% of the first number. For myself, that is 128, my redline. My heart and arteries won't explode at that level, but they will work at their aerobic best if I keep my pulse below 128. Mentally, 125 is my yellow caution line. Most of my thirty minute treadmill sessions are spent between 115 and 125 beats per minute (bpm). While backpacking I pause every twenty minutes for water, so the ability to tolerate thirty minutes of intense activity bodes well. Blood Mountain and the climb out of the NOC may take a while, but I should be able to safely get up and over, now I have a device that can give me feedback while trudging uphill. So, my advice for fellow seniors is to find a treadmill, a treadmill chart and a pulse-oxygen meter. Start slowly, but increase your grade and walking time until you can tolerate 30 minutes at 7 METs or better. Start adding weight, but reduce your starting speed and grade when you do.