ICD and training

Hi - really enjoy all the great content you from you guys. Keep it up.

I had an episode of supraventricular tachycardia
approx 9 years ago and had an ICD fitted in my upper left chest. It went off once just after being fitted but for last 9 years no issues and no medication for last 5 years. Battery got another 3 years to run since it’s not gone off much. Regular heart check ups show everything normal so from a heart health point of view no issues with my heart and cardiologist advice is to exercise. I’ve run multiple half marathons, cycled multiple 100 mile events etc and genuinely don’t worry about heart.

However, guidance is a little woolly around the risks to lead placement and physical activity that involves my upper left chest. Use of rowing machine and lifting weights seems to be advised against but i’d be interested in your perspectives on evidence since it feels ultra cautious and there are contradictory stories on internet (no surprise).

I’m 42 years old, 105kg, 6’2’ and been doing LP for last 3 months. Squat and deadlift just got up to 140kg, bench 100kg.

Should I crack on accepting tiny risk to my ICD leads? Stop some lifts immediately because because risks are too high? Or go persuade my skinny cardiologist that gainzZz are important to me?

p

I’ve trained plenty of folks with ICDs in place and have not seen / heard of these complications occurring, but there is no evidence that we’re aware of to guide confident recommendations on this matter, unfortunately.