Mr. Wang, a resident of Fuzhou, suddenly felt severe chest pain accompanied by a sense of pressure while running. During the rescue, his heart stopped twice. According to the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Mr. Wang is 60 years old and experienced the above symptoms about a week ago.
After being taken to the hospital, he was diagnosed with “coronary atherosclerotic heart disease and acute extensive anterior wall myocardial infarction,” putting his life in immediate danger. Thanks to the full efforts of the hospital, the patient has now regained spontaneous breathing.
Running is a popular exercise among the elderly, but experts say not all seniors are suited for it—there are three types of elderly people who should avoid running exercises.
First, elderly individuals suffering from serious conditions such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, or bronchitis should not run. These conditions increase oxygen consumption during running, which can lead to oxygen deprivation and trigger heart attacks or strokes.
Second, elderly people with hidden illnesses should avoid running. Exercise could provoke or worsen these latent conditions. For example, some seniors may have gallstones but have never had an attack. Even slow jogging could cause stones at the bottom of the gallbladder to dislodge into the neck of the gallbladder, leading to severe pain.
Third, older women who are overweight tend to have more brittle bones and stiffer muscles and ligaments, making them prone to muscle, tendon, and ligament injuries if they engage in running exercises.