CPR endurance exercises?

[redundantbassist]

Good afternoon all,
I am trying to increase how long I can perform chest compressions without getting tired. (thus compromising depth and overall quality) I'm a somewhat small guy, 5' 10", 150 lbs, and sometimes have difficulty maintaining quality compressions. What upper body exercises would you recommend to increase muscular strength and endurance?

 

[teedubbyaw]

Dumbbell rows, bench press, flys, etc. etc. Do full upper body workouts, don't focus on one thing.

 

[joshrunkle35]

To clarify, you have trouble making it through 2 minutes or 5 cycles of CPR? Do you have people to relieve you when you get tired?

 

[redundantbassist]

To clarify, you have trouble making it through 2 minutes or 5 cycles of CPR? Do you have people to relieve you when you get tired?

No, I can get through 2 minutes just fine. Usually we have FF or other EMTs on scene to relieve us when we get tired, but sometimes when it's just us I will have to to compressions for a long stretch of time while the medic is hooking the pads up, pushing drugs, intubating, etc. We trade places as soon as he's done setting up, but unfortunately for me he likes to take his time.

 

[gotbeerz001]

Lots of peanut butter. We gotta get you closer to 180 lbs!!!

Get a little bit of weight on you and really just let gravity do the rest.

 

[redundantbassist]

Lots of peanut butter. We gotta get you closer to 180 lbs!!!

Get a little bit of weight on you and really just let gravity do the rest.

When I hit 40 I guess that won't be an issue anymore

 

[NomadicMedic]

Doesn't matter how strong you are, or how tired you are… The studies show your CPR rapidly becomes less effective after two minutes. Tell the paramedic to hurry up, and swap out.

For goodness sake's, he should be able to drill an IO, push an Epi and get the pads on all in two minutes.

 

[Underoath87]

Depends on where you're performing CPR. If the patient is on the ground, then it is all gravity and lower back endurance (since your weight presses down and your erector spinae lift your upper body after each compression).
If the patient is up high (like if you're riding the stretcher or performing CPR in a raised bed), then tricep, chest, and lat strength and endurance will be most important. Either way, just bulking up and strengthening your core should help.

 

[OnceAnEMT]

Good afternoon all,
I am trying to increase how long I can perform chest compressions without getting tired. (thus compromising depth and overall quality) I'm a somewhat small guy, 5' 10", 150 lbs, and sometimes have difficulty maintaining quality compressions. What upper body exercises would you recommend to increase muscular strength and endurance?

Coming from someone only slightly larger at 5'11" 160, let me remind you that CPR is very much so a full body workout. Consider it to be not pushing on the chest, but falling with some force on the chest. Elbows locked, back straight, bend at the hips. If you had to pick something I would honestly say work your core and back, emphasizing proper technique and a straight, contracted back.

If you are doing CPR in an awkward position, then fix the position. In a corner? Do an emergency move and get into an open space. On a bed? Good god, don't do CPR on a bed, get them on the floor or on a back board. Bed too high? Get them on your stretcher or the floor. In an ED where beds only go so low? Get a stool. In my department we have a step stool that we keep under the unit clerk's desk. When a code comes in, the step stool is often the first item in the room. I grab it before I grab the EKG machine.

Someone on this forum said it before, but I'll repeat it. A few seconds of no compressions followed by continuous adequate compressions is worth it when the only alternative is inadequate compressions.

Edit: If anyone ever gives you lip for accommodating yourself with a stool or by asking to reposition to allow for quality compressions, remind them that advocating for your patient is one of the most important things in medicine. If you are allowing inadequate compressions, then you are doing the patient a disservice. Accommodate yourself or swap out; no shame in either.

 

[firecoins]

push ups, lots of push up.

 

[DesertMedic66]

I don’t know. Let me ask my EMT or firefighter...

 

[VFlutter]

Indoor rower is a great workout

 

[MSDeltaFlt]

Chest compressions is all core and never ever ever arms. You lock your elbows. The key to quality chest compressions is your cadence. Some sing certain songs in their heads that a tempo somewhere 100bpm. The song you sing in your head is irrelevant. The key is the tempo. A good exercise is one that will mimic those precise repetitive muscle movements.

Me? I have a hospital blanket that I roll up. I will get on the floor on my knees and straddle one end and start doing chest compressions on the other end. In my ears I have disco or techno music cranked. Or even fast paced rock. It really doesn't matter. And I start pumping until the song ends or I do. You're basically doing cardio. It's not how strong you are.

It's how long you're strong.

So break out the glow sticks and get the party started. "Nts... nts... nts... nts..."

 

[TheScientist]

Not an expert, but push-ups seem like they would help, especially as you don't need to go to the gym specifically to do it

 

[NPO]

Why would you need to build enfurancd for CPR?

The button on the Lucas requires 1, MAYBE 2 pounds of pressure to start.

 

[DesertMedic66]

Why would you need to build enfurancd for CPR?

The button on the Lucas requires 1, MAYBE 2 pounds of pressure to start.

The only buttons my Lucas has are on his bunker gear

 

[hapacamp]

I do push ups and burpees. I've seen a few people end up with a cracked sternum and ribs which makes me apprehensive about using too much force.

 

[Rommel]

With locked elbows and weight above the pt's centre of chest allowing your weight to do most of the work, requires no more endurance than the average fit-ish young-ish adult already has... especially when you rotate every 2 mins like we probably all should be doing.

However the "AHA's Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults" is a good place to start. Anything that is continuous and gets you just below "a little out of breath" for 30-60 mins 3-5 times a week will do wonders for your endurance (hiking, walking fast, jogging or cycling are some options... and some discipline thrown in there too) and don't neglect weight resistance training (while eating in a slight surplus) since it will help you weigh more and make CPR easier.

 

[jgmedic]

I do push ups and burpees. I've seen a few people end up with a cracked sternum and ribs which makes me apprehensive about using too much force.

not sure if serious....

 

[MSDeltaFlt]

Why would you need to build enfurancd for CPR?

The button on the Lucas requires 1, MAYBE 2 pounds of pressure to start.

If you have a Lucas device. Down here we are one of the heaviest states in the Union with average heat indices during the summer of 100-120. So manual compressions on the morbidly obese in this heat depends on not just how strong you may be but how long you're strong.