Hi

Seeing if anyone here runs jogs
That has a cardiac condition.

What condition do you have
And how do you feel and has
Running helped you

I've had afib for 20+ years. From my perspective, endurance exercise is a double edged sword. If you haven't been exercising, then getting up off the couch can be beneficial for afib. However, if you do endurance exercise chronically in high volumes with intensity, it can lead to afib and was my path to afib. This is a thread on this topic.

In my case, I had my first afib episode as a delayed vagal trigger after a training run on a 14,000' peak - training for a 13+ mile race that gained 7800' elevation, topping out over 14,000'. This was for the 9th or 10th time I'd done the race. Within two months of that first episode, I started an episode that lasted 2.5 months and was converted with a loading dose of oral flecainide.

I'd already figured out that chronic fitness was my path to afib. When, during the 2.5 month episode, the EP proposed I stay out of rhythm, I proposed a "plan B" that included training very differently, electrolyte supplementation and a script for on-demand flecainide to be used to convert if I went out of rhythm. He accepted my proposal and I've been basically following this plan since, though I have and do tweak it. It has worked pretty well as many years my afib burden is <0.05%.

What I've learned is that, for me, the exercise trigger is the product of intensity times duration. I learned to limit long duration endurance activity to an intensity I could do with nasal breathing only (AKA Zone 2). Short duration, high intensity workouts (like Tabatas on a fan bike) are fine (and I now do even HIIT workouts nasal breathing, having trained a high CO2 tolerance). I follow these rules and maintain excellent fitness at age 69. For example, Friday I went climbing with a 37 year old partner. I had a 60# pack and went up the long, steep approach trail at 6,000' elevation with only nasal breathing. My climbing partner was out of breath and had to stop frequently on the way up (and was carrying a 5# pack with only harness, helmet, shoes & water). I ski frequently at elevations to 13,000' and on off piste', steep runs. I strength train with both isometrics (with some 90 second holds) and calisthenics to failure. I also train with a setup that allows me to breathe 7.5% O2 (like being at 27,500' elevation) or 80% O2 through a mask and I use this doing simultaneous intensity and hypoxia/hyperoxia intervals on a fan bike, rower and skier.

With an Afib history of 29 years and two successful ablations, currently, I see no relationship between my afib and what I choose to do exercise wise. Like George, my afib likely was the result of significant athletic training. I swam in the 1968 Olympics which was end of 14 years of competitive swimming. Only the last 5 years involved significant training with distances up to 6 miles of swimming a day (more commonly 3-5). This was typical summer training with less during the winter.

Then about 30 years of jogging to train for 5K and some10K running races and one, half marathon. The jogging stopped after a hip replacement 6 years ago. I still swim some, walk plenty, hike occasionally and many other sports like windsurfing, skiing, scuba diving, golf and at a minimum of two hours of weights per week.

The only direct impact when I did have an episode of aib (200 plus), was that I didn't exercise when in afib = too much O2 debt. I am 79 and will continue to play hard.

I was a competitive runner (not gifted, but worked hard at it and did okay in local races) all my adult life. Also cycled with a high performance group and did snowshoeing races in the military. I retired in 2004 at a young 52, and did maintenance running for the next 13 years. It was near the end of a 10 km maintenance run that I developed AF. Long story shortened, it was several months later, after many diagnostics, that my cardiologist asked me to submit to a polysomnography at an overnight lab. The result was severe sleep apnea. Ever since, I have dabbled in run-walking, but not since my last ablation. I feel it's just too much to ask of my cranky heart. So, I spend about seven minutes mid-10km walk climbing a total of about 320 step and steep path oceanside nearby. That's my real cardio, and my HR rises to about 143 or so, not bad for a now-72 year old. Thankfully, no hiccups afterwards, ever, and my HR returns within a couple of minutes of completing the climb to about 116-120.

But, that's for AF. I don't know which 'condition' you are keeping in mind...