heart rate??

[Galadriel]

DD had heart rate checked as part of a class - it was resting heart rate of 50 bpm
the teacher said it was abnormally low - is this something anyone else has encountered with their gymnast?
She was told it might be a medical issue - but that athletes do tend to have lower heart rates! Do i need to make a doctors appointment?

Is this normal for active kids? And what does it signify? Is it a sign of some potential medical problem???

Slightly concerned! - what would you do?

 

[Faith]

How old is she? For a very young child that would be low, for an older teenager not so much, particularly if she's fit.

Super-fit people can have very low resting heart rates, so I wouldn't panic just get. Normal for an adult is 60-80. There's a tour de France cyclist who's resting HR is about 30.

A low heart rate can indicate a medical problem, but if she's otherwise fit and well it's probably just normal for her. Might be best to pop along to the Dr's just to reassure yourselves though.

 

[gymgal]

check with the dr. to be on the safe side but chances are it is from being an athlete and nothing to worry about. If you is growing well, having no problems with conditioning at the gym or with fatigue during the day, she is likely just fine.

 

[Galadriel]

teenager - so probably fine!
no issues with fatigue
she cycles 4 miles to the gym and 4 miles back 4 times a week!

 

[Kiwi]

If you are worried, check it out with your GP. But, it is normal for athletes to have low resting heart rates. She's probably superfit from all the gymnastics plus all that cycling!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

now that someone planted that 'scare the crap out of the parent for no good reason cause i don't know what I'M talking about' i guess you won't sleep until you get it checked.

when i was 13 i had a SHR of 57. most athletes are like this. but i suppose you can't dismiss it.

 

[mustlovejumping]

What everyone else said ^^ and, can I ask if the teacher was the one who took her heart rate or if another student did?

 

[CoachGoofy]

FWIW, I'm relatively out of shape at this point & have a resting heart rate of about 52. A quick call to her primary care doctor could give you an idea...they take vitals every visit & should know if that's her normal.

 

[Galadriel]

thanks everyone!
feel better now - and i think a phone call to doctor is the way to go!

 

[Iwannabemargo]

my husband wasn't allowed out of hospital after one particular spectacular rugby match as the took his heartrate and it was 38 - his GP confirmed that that was normal for him as he was superfit ( well at the time he was!) Seb Coe (Now Lord Coe) a great world record Miler notoriously has a resting heart rate of 28 !

 

[Mack_the_Ripper]

Don't worry about it unless she notices symptoms, like excessive dizziness when standing suddenly or feeling faint in general. I have low blood pressure which is due to gymnastics but also genetics, so I have symptoms sometimes. I went to the doctor and they basically said "don't restrict your sodium intake." I had been trying to cut down on salt like all those healthy-eating things said, but I stopped worrying about it and my faintness is much less of a problem now, except on those late gym nights and right after I wake up.

 

[mamaoftwo]

I would definitely give a call in to your clinic and maybe speak to a nurse. Perhaps you could take your child in for a nurse visit for a heart-rate check to ease your mind some?

As another poster said, "normal" can be anywhere from 60-100. In children, it is typically a bit higher. But it can be lower safely, it just means she has a strong heart and it gets the job done with fewer bpm. A good thing. (I am a post-bacc biology major, studying physiology right now. We just did a case study on this, this week!).

And yes, Lance Armstrong's is some ridiculous 30bpm or something!