HIIT = Stroke? WHAT?

persilcolours

So yesterday, for the first time in about a year, I used the rowing machine for HIIT (or at least interval training). 30 seconds of full speed, intense effort and 30 seconds rest. I did this for ten minutes. It definitely wiped me out but I can and do feel fine now.

I was excited to start doing this a few times a week (after reading about the benefits of HIIT) and then TODAY, I open up the Guardian's home page and find this article:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/apr/14/andrew-marr-first-tv-appearance-stroke

"Andrew Marr has returned to the television screens, as a guest on his own BBC Sunday morning Andrew Marr Show, for the first time since he suffered a serious stroke in January. He issued a joking "message to the nation" warning against rowing machines, convinced that his own stroke was caused by over-vigorous exercise on one: "I did the terrible thing of believing what I read in the papers, because the newspapers were saying that what we must all do is take very very intensive exercise in short bursts."

"He described what happened next: "I went onto a rowing machine and gave it everything I had, and had a very strange feeling afterwards and then a blinding headache and flashes of light. I served up a family meal, went to bed, and woke up the next morning lying on the floor unable to move. What I had done, I had torn the carotid artery which takes blood into the brain, and had a stroke overnight." He still has mobility problems on his left side, and describes his walk as "a sort of elegant wobble". However he is determined to return to work after further months of intensive physiotherapy: "I've got a lot of physio still to do"."

Okay and then the article goes on to say that exercise overall PREVENTS strokes but it does NOT address the issue of HIIT increasing the risk of stroke.

Anyone else ever heard of this before or suffered badly (and not talking about fatigue or muscle soreness) after HIIT?

It just seems ominous that I read this the day after I started on the rowing machine....

Thoughts???

PureAdamic

Yeah you can get messed up exercising too hard. Especially if you have a previous condition like this guys probably had.

phjorg

any high intensity exercise increases blood pressure and risk of stroke. doesnt have to be rowing. thats why it's recommended to get a doc approval before doing an exercise program. because preexisting conditions like clogged arteries and high blood pressure may cause problems.

bumblebums

I daresay any kind of vigorous activity would increase the danger of strokes for someone who is susceptible. Steady-state cardio would be no different from HIIT in this regard.

persilcolours

So as a 28-year-old who has no pre-existing conditions that I know of...I should be okay doing HIIT on the rowing machine?

bumblebums

So as a 28-year-old who has no pre-existing conditions that I know of...I should be okay doing HIIT on the rowing machine?

You never know what's going to kill you. But if you are really worried, go see a doctor and make sure you really have no pre-existing conditions.

As with any exercise, even with HIIT, you might want to start slow and build up to more intense levels. A good warm-up can prevent a lot of problems.

SanteMulberry

So yesterday, for the first time in about a year, I used the rowing machine for HIIT (or at least interval training). 30 seconds of full speed, intense effort and 30 seconds rest. I did this for ten minutes. It definitely wiped me out but I can and do feel fine now.

I was excited to start doing this a few times a week (after reading about the benefits of HIIT) and then TODAY, I open up the Guardian's home page and find this article:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/apr/14/andrew-marr-first-tv-appearance-stroke

"Andrew Marr has returned to the television screens, as a guest on his own BBC Sunday morning Andrew Marr Show, for the first time since he suffered a serious stroke in January. He issued a joking "message to the nation" warning against rowing machines, convinced that his own stroke was caused by over-vigorous exercise on one: "I did the terrible thing of believing what I read in the papers, because the newspapers were saying that what we must all do is take very very intensive exercise in short bursts."

"He described what happened next: "I went onto a rowing machine and gave it everything I had, and had a very strange feeling afterwards and then a blinding headache and flashes of light. I served up a family meal, went to bed, and woke up the next morning lying on the floor unable to move. What I had done, I had torn the carotid artery which takes blood into the brain, and had a stroke overnight." He still has mobility problems on his left side, and describes his walk as "a sort of elegant wobble". However he is determined to return to work after further months of intensive physiotherapy: "I've got a lot of physio still to do"."

Okay and then the article goes on to say that exercise overall PREVENTS strokes but it does NOT address the issue of HIIT increasing the risk of stroke.

Anyone else ever heard of this before or suffered badly (and not talking about fatigue or muscle soreness) after HIIT?

It just seems ominous that I read this the day after I started on the rowing machine....

Thoughts???

Yeah--he probably had an aneurysm that would have eventually given out anyway. He's fortunate to be alive. Not many survive a carotid artery rupture. It is important to immediately stop exercising if you experience any severe head pain and then seek medical attention promptly. Everyone should be familiar with the symptoms of stroke so that it can be treated as soon as possible. The sooner it is treated, the more that damage can be avoided.