Should You Get a Treadmill Exercise Test Before Starting a Fitness Program?

Have you made the commitment to get into shape? Congratulations! The decision to start an exercise program is one of the wisest choices you can make with regard to your future health. Before you get out your running shoes, its important to be sure youre ready for an intense exercise program. While exercise is healthy for the heart, if you have underlying heart disease it may not be wise to do strenuous exercise. One way to find out how your heart will respond to exercise is to undergo a treadmill exercise test or stress test under the guidance of a doctor.

How is a treadmill exercise test performed? A stress test is carried out by having you walk on a treadmill while attached to a monitoring system that documents your heart rate, blood pressure, as well as records an EKG tracing of your hearts activity. Youll be asked to report any symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath that occur during the test. This allows the doctor to determine how your heart responds to the challenges of exercise in a safe, controlled setting. A treadmill exercise test usually lasts ten to fifteen minutes and can give a good indication as to whether your heart can withstand the stress of intense exercise.

Who should get a treadmill exercise test? Not everyone who starts an exercise program needs a stress test. If youre over the age of forty-five and starting a new exercise program or if youre over the age of thirty-five with a strong family history of heart disease, stress testing is a good idea to screen for underlying heart disease. If you are diabetic, have a history of heart disease, or have hypertension, a treadmill exercise test may also be recommended before beginning an exercise program. Other situations where a stress test should be considered is if youre a heavy smoker or have a history of chest pain or shortness of breath. This is why its always recommended that you see your doctor before starting an exercise program.

If you have any of these risk factors for heart disease, talk to your doctor before you purchase that new gym membership and make sure your heart is as ready for the challenge of exercise as you are. Once you get a clean bill of health, youll be ready to tackle your new fitness program with gusto, knowing that youre doing something good for your body.