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When to resume exercise after pericarditis in young athletes
My 21 year old son, a college soccer player, had pericarditis recently.Symptoms did not resolve with colchicine and indomethacin, but responded to prednisone and colchicine.
We have been advised to avoid exercise for 3-6 months in order to minimise the risk of recurrence.
Any guidelines available on this topic?
When is it safe to start light jogging or weight training?
Is there a target heart rate which he should not exceed?
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@gerintaethum We are not medical professionals here - your son needs to consult with his cardiologist, and probably begin ANY exercise program under the watchful eye of a cardiac rehab clinic. It is especially important for young people who may not be as attuned to signs that their body is under stress - they tend to try to push through when maybe they should ease off.
Can he see his cardiologist for a referral?
Yes, I agree, your best advice in this particular case will come from the team treating him. Consult them, and then do what they say he, and you, should do. Pericarditis is tricky, and the effects can linger even when the patient feels better. It's best to put this episode firmly behind your son, and that means being patient. He's young, plenty of time to call on muscle memory and his youth to bring him back up to snuff.