I have a heart condition (or had a heart attack several years ago) – can I use Slendertone products?

Using Slendertone products may be considered comparable to moderate to heavy abdominal training.  The Slendertone Abdominal products can result in strong abdominal muscle contractions resulting in subsequent strength improvements as proven in our clinical trials.

The use of Slendertone products for someone who has suffered a heart attack is not recommended, as it is important to have detailed knowledge of a person’s previous medical history when prescribing exercise to such a population.  Any exercise in such a population should be light to moderate and should be gradually progressive.

When using the Slendertone abdominal toning suite of products, the muscles of the abdominal wall contract.  With all muscle contractions, there can be a tendency to breath hold which may result in elevated blood pressure, which is undesirable in a person who has recently suffered a heart attack.  This is one of the main reasons its use is contra-indicated in this population.

A person’s ability to use a Slendertone Abdominal toner is dependent on their current exercise level.  If a person is exercising to a moderate level - both aerobic and resistance exercise, they should be able to use Slendertone if they (i) begin gently and do not increase the intensity levels too high at the beginning and (ii) they - under no circumstances - breath hold whilst using the device.  Their ability is therefore in some ways comparable to their ability to complete normal exercise.