Having an ECG/EKG while put on a treadmill

Anybody given an ECG/EKG and had to run on a treadmill or maybe ride an excercise bike. Were you topless and were you stethed as you did it?

That would be a stress test.

Men may be topless, women wear bras, bathing suit tops or some sort of top.

I'm a speedy little devil; I like running 10K and 5K races. My 10k times are in the 32:10-33 range, depending on how I am that day with a PR (best time) of 32 flat. So I have this funny pressing feeling in my chest while doing 'intervals,' repeat 400 meter-one laps with a short recovery. I hear that pressing in the chest may be a sign of heart attack.

I head off to see the doctor: ECG is ok. He wants to see what happens when I'm on the treadmill. I had my running shoes and shorts. Tech puts pasties on my bare chest, sticky white foam electrodes and wires me up. Tech starts machine at a walk. "Forget it, I said. turn it on high" I'ts a 6 minute mile--no problem. He raises it to 6% grade, now it's work, barely manageable. After 10 minutes of this it's a good workout. Doc is watching the readouts and watches me running like a rabbit with clean readings and threw me out.

I've had a couple of treadmill EKG tests done in the past. Each time I was shirtless and just wearing athletic shorts, shoes and socks. I remember being told to bring something comfortable to walk/run in. I don't remember if I was stethed while I ran, but likely yes.

I have had a couple stress tests over the years and even a vo2 max test a couple times. Usually it is 12 lead ECG w/ bare chest and a belt strap to keep all the leads together going back to ecg monitor. Always a bp cuff on either arm. I usually treat it as workout and wear gym shorts and running shoes. I have done 2 protocols (Bruce) and Balke. Bruce is a quicker test w/ very fast ramp on speed and incline. Balke is used for older folks who can't do as much running. It is a 3.3 mph speed walk and gradual incline of 1 percent increases. By the end of this test the calves are burning. On the vo2 max test they put a mask on your face to monitor the breathing and maximum oxygen consumption. You can also have a mouthpiece / noseclip combination but keep in mind that your ears can pop as you breathe and swallow w/ your nose clip.

Nothing better than having couple nice ladies monitoring me while I push my heart rate to 220 - age theoretical heart rate. : )

I had to do one using the Bruce protocol after being awake for 35 hours and having had next to no food for about 30 hours. I didn't perform very well, strangely.

Anyway, the only time a stethoscope was used was to check my BP afterwards.

I had something very similar as part of a couple of research studies that I helped out with, I've had sensors stuck all over my chest, arms, back and legs while I exercise on treadmills and exercise bikes. I also had a rectal thermal probe.

Sometimes I had special clothes on, other times I was just wearing a pair of shorts and trainers.

When my friend had hers, she was asked to undress from the waist up, and put a gown on over that. The nurse hooked her up to the 12 lead EKG and asked her to lift her left breast so while the nurse put on the EKG leads. Her gown was put back on for the test, but she was not allowed to wear a bra.

It depends if the bra is under-wired, as the metal interfere with the electrical conductivity and cause problems with the recording

I had a stress test done on a treadmill - i was in my boxers with the electrodes on my bare torso. i was stethed before, during and after, before sitting and lying, after, lying only. I was very breathless and my heart skipped several beats. during, the stethoscope was on my apex once i'd started to work up a bit of a sweat.

I had to be screened for a potential heart problem. I was shirtless and wearing a pair of shorts. I had the pads attached to my chest. Before the test I had some kind of dye injection. I had the cuff on my arm and I was stethed before and after the test. At first I was instructed to walk on the treadmill. Eventually the pace and grade were calibrated to a more acceptable challenge because I am a runner as well. Between the stress test, the ECG and a chest xray it was determined I had a slight heart murmur. My doctor was concerned due to the fact I tend to push my self a little hard when exercising, putting my body through stress and what not.

Unfortunately, I've done this many times, both with nuclear dye and not. I don't recall the stethoscope being used other than to monitor blood pressure. Maybe, briefly, before, not during.

I was top less, with chest hair shaved in spots and all those EKG leads attached.

I am in the UK:::I had the treadmill/ ECG tests done over a one hour period, and was naked (and shaved in places) for it,after my second (suspect only) Heart Attack, and it was concluded I had a Heavy Angina Spasm. Never the less, I was retired on medical grounds (at the age of just 52--Civil Servant) , and have never worked since- I am now 83. Six months after finishing work, my wife asked the heart consultant if we could resume Sex, and he said ''why not?'' - so we did - several times a day!

I had a stress test several years ago. I spent 30 minutes on the treadmill, split between a normal stress test, followed by the IV nuclear contrast infusion and the balance for the radiology portion of the exam. Fortunately, everything was normal and it hasn't had to be repeated. I still remember the annoying itch from when the hair grew back because my chest was totally shaved for the EKG leads.

I've had a couple of these on a threadmill, top off both times and in gym shorts. Doc stethed me pretty thoroughly before and after.

I'd love to do the test BPmichael mentioned. Same thing but with the nose clip and mouthpiece measuring respiration. I once saw a guy being examined like in that way at an open day in a college sports science faculty. It was very cool!

I have had many stress ECG and Vo2 tests over the past 6 years to see where my heart is and whats it doing. i do have an slightly enlarged heart like any other Triathlete or long Distance Runner has. i also get the Tester to take photo's of me without wearing a top and also prefer to wear my triathlon suit half way to my stomach. if you would like to see my photos then please contact me and i would be glad to send them across to you all.

I've had several treadmills and have usually worn a gown while walking. I've also gone bare chested. I've only had my BP checked not my heart listened to. I only felt some anxiety about the results not arousal.

I have had stress tests both at work and at a doctors office. The electrodes were the stickers places on the chest around the heart. In the work test, you ran to get the maximum heart rate as the speed and incline were increased at intervals. When you reached maximum heart rate the test was to see how long you could maintain it. Then you sat in a chair and the recovery time was recorded. In the doctors office, I just had to walk on the treadmill at a fast pace to increase the heart rate.

Standard EKG pasties, although they might have been extra sticky so to resist sweat !

I have always been shirtless and just wore a pair of shorts and running shoes. No one has ever stethed me while on the treadmill.

I've had several nuclear stress tests on a treadmill with the usual EKG pads. No problems.

I've had two treadmill tests. The first was nuclear in 2001. They didn't like what they saw and had me back a couple days later for an angioplasty. Next morning I had five bypasses.

Had another treadmill test in 2007, that led to a stent being placed in an artery that wasn't touched in 2001.

My cardiologist now wells me that they have virtually eliminated the treadmill tests. Now they use drugs to cause the heart to beat faster and put stresses on it, then other drugs to slow it back down.

For both my treadmill tests, I think I was shirtless. Don't recall if any stething was done or not.

I submit my patients to stress tests regularly either on the bicycle ergometer or the treadmill. Depending on the mode the patient can be topless or keeps her bra on (running)

Ekg electrodes are fit on the chest and the peripheral electrodes are put on her back.

I usually ask the patient to push her limits and check how her heartbeat activity, blood pressure, saturation and breathing evolve with the effort form the rest and back to resting again.

Some patients don't like these stress tests, other seem fine with them, understanding how they work.

Dr.MG

I've lost track; but, I've had the treadmill stress test/EKG done 5 or 6 times. I know I've had it done 4 times since 2000. It's no big deal. They wanted my heart rate to reach 149 and each time, even last year at age 70, it took until the 3rd incline (every 3 minutes) and 10 - 11 minutes to get me there. IIRC, one early test took 4 inclines and about 14 minutes to get to the desired heart rate.

Once, when i needed clearance to use the company's exercise/weight room. I had to be on a treadmill for 30 mins, at varying incline grades. I was topless, had to have my chest hair shaved for the ekg electrodes, which i'm surprised stayed on.

Then the joke was i never found or made time to use the weight/exercise room.

I have had many EKGS ... usually performed at each yearly physical. Several times I have had my chest chair shaved ... spot shaved ... and other times have not been shaved at all. I guess this decision ... to shave or not ... has been determined by the individual doing the EKG. As I prefer to maintain a natural look I prefer not being shaved at all.

I have also had two echocardiograms done and have not been shaved for either of these. The last echocardiogram was done several years ago and was performed by a male tech. This guy gave me a very thorough chest exam before actually placing the leads on my chest. He examined me while sitting upright then again with me prone on the exam table.

During a portion of the echo, the tech had me place my left hand under my head and tilt my body slightly on my left side. Knowing my hairy armpit was exposed, along with hairy chest and stomach, kept me hard throughout and I wondered if he noticed my erection as my pants remained quite tented.

For some strange reason I think this guy knew exactly what was going on. Yeah ... I love this crazy fetish!

I had a treadmill test about fifteen years ago. I was in sweat pants and was bare chested, except for the the EKG leads. I also had an IV line in my arm for a contrast injection. Got he full workout and work up and everything turned out fine.

I had all this done finally led to a heart catheter that found nothing. I told my PCP never again.

Course

What I mean by heathy is mind wise.

Course

I had to have it done about four years ago when I was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse. I was in a pair of athletic pants, lots of EKG leads on my chest. Fortunately I'm a smooth guy, so I didn't have to be shaved or anything. I had to run to get my heart rate up. Then the CT scan, then the catheterization, then open heart surgery to repair the valve.