Fatigue

Q:  Can you please give me some information about fatigue? What exactly is it? Is there such a thing as overdoing physical activity when we are 65? Do we need to limit exercise if there is a blood pressure problem? Will too much exercise cause heart damage?

A:  Fatigue is a common, but nonspecific, sensation of generalized weakness or exhaustion. It can be mental, physical or both. Fatigue is normal after heavy physical exertion (like running four or five miles) or after a busy, tiring day, but it is not "normal" for someone to feel tired or a loss of energy with little effort or after adequate sleep and rest. Many illnesses are associated with fatigue: anemia, heart disease, underactive thyroid, and depression are just a few of the many causes.

It doesn't matter if you're 6 or 65; anyone can overdo physical activity. Not only will you get tired, your muscles may ache for days. Ask any weekend warrior. Once I rode 33 miles on the Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail in the rain on a Memorial Day weekend, and that was the first time I'd been on a bike since the previous summer. Not a good idea.

Exercise is good for people with high blood pressure because it may help lower the blood pressure by opening their blood vessels. While a person is exercising, both the blood pressure and heart rate increase, so it is important to know the peak levels that you should not exceed.

In addition it would not be wise to embark on an exercise program if your blood pressure is not well controlled with medications. It could get dangerously high with strenuous exercise. Exercise is good for the heart too, but anyone over the age of 40 should probably consult with a physician first to be sure that they do not have silent coronary artery disease or an irregularity of the rhythm.

"Dear Doctor" is a compilation of patient questions answered by doctors from the Medical College of Wisconsin.