Precerpt from Grandma's Ninja Training Diary: Training with a Murmur and a Block
I’ve had a heart murmur since birth. Never bothered me. Never bothered the Army docs, either. More recently, I picked up a new badge: Left Bundle Branch Block (LBBB). My EKG shows it doing its thing. My annual echocardiograms? Normal. So I pay it no mind. But should I? 🫀 What Is LBBB, Really? LBBB means the electrical signal that tells your heart to beat travels a slower, roundabout path to the left ventricle. It’s not dangerous by itself—especially if your heart’s structure and function are normal, as yours are. 💨 Does It Affect Breathing or Exercise? Breathing : LBBB doesn’t directly affect lung function. But if the heart’s pumping efficiency is reduced, oxygen delivery can lag behind demand during intense exertion. Exercise : Most people with isolated LBBB and normal heart function can exercise safely. But endurance may be harder to build, and recovery might take longer. Heart murmur : If it’s benign (as yours seems to be), it’s just background music. But always worth...