- Many aneurysms have no symptoms and go undetected until there is pain or death. Weight lifting can aggravate a pre-existing aortic aneurysm or weaken healthy arteries enough to cause an aneurysm. Rupturing of already weakened vessels is more common due to the arterial pressure caused by weight lifting. Heavy weight lifting in particular can cause this painful and sometimes deadly condition. Slow lifting is a trend which is believed to be a safer form of weight lifting. This method of lifting weights involves taking 10 seconds to raise a weight, and the same amount of time to lower it. People older than 40 should not bench press more than half of their body weight and should breathe regularly while lifting weights to prevent blood pressure spikes.
- The sudden rises in blood pressure that accompany weight lifting appear to be the cause of aortic aneurysms associated with lifting weights. A person's blood pressure can quickly rise from a resting level of 130/80 to 370/360, during heavy lifting. This sudden increase puts pressure on the aorta, sometimes causing a bulge in a previously healthy vessel. These bulges continue to weaken the walls of the aorta until severe pain or death occurs. New weight lifters should have a complete physical exam and check for family history of aneurysms before starting a new weight-lifting regimen.
