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- Your Health
- Can I exercise if I have an AVM?
Answers
- Your Health
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- Can I exercise if I have an AVM?
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Aerobic exercise such as walking briskly, swimming laps, or running, helps contribute to a healthy blood pressure and benefits most people.
More people with pre-existing neurological conditions are playing organized sports because experts understand more about neurological conditions in athletes. While some people report that exercise exacerbates seizures (a severe symptom of AVM), many more people report having fewer seizures with regular exercise (Dimberg and Burns. 2005).
If you have a medically-treated, pre-operation, or post-operation AVM, you must be careful when you exercise. Light-to-moderate exercise, even resistance training, may be fine, but you should avoid activities that may excessively elevate blood pressure, such as heavy weight lifting or straining.
Some reports state that pre-existing high blood pressure or intense physical activity do not seem to be associated with AVM hemorrhage, but the risk of AVM hemorrhage always exists.
Researchers believe that each year between 2 and 4 percent of all AVMs hemorrhage.
If you have an AVM, talk to your doctor before doing any physical activity.
References
Dimberg EL; Burns TM. Management of common neurological conditions in sports. Clinics in Sports Medicine. Volume 24, Issue 3, Page 637, July 2005.
