MAXIMAL HEART RATE

Hi,

I have questions about MAXIMAL HEART RATE

1) What is maximal heart rate

2) Can you exceede your maximal heart rate

3) Is it in ANY WAY dangerous to reach your maximal heart during activty EVEN if you have heart disease?

[Michael L Gross, MD]

Sorry, these questions are not orthopedic sports medicine questions.

[Jerry_NJ]

I'm sure you know the rule-of-thumb based that 220 - age is the maximum.  This is not an absolute number, just a ball park number.  That said, anyone who has heart disease should check out aerobic activity with their heart doctor.

I have in past years exercised at near my maximum HR, around 90%,  but as I now have AFib that isn't something I do any longer, not with my knowledge anyway.  When I exercise, or even engage in a physical activity like mowing the lawn, I wear an exercise pulse rate monitor. When I get near 150 bpm, I slow down.