High Volume Endurance Training and Tissue/Mechanical Valves...

There is a ton of great information on the site regarding mechanical and tissue valves and valve selection but I haven't found anything regarding 'higher' volume endurance training and tissue valves (or mechanical valves for that matter, but I'm pretty sure an extra few million beats aren't going to do much to carbon)...

Does anyone know of anyone doing a moderate to high volume of endurance training (more than 10-15 hrs/week with their HR at or above 70-80% HR max)?

Physics usually works So one would think it would increase the wear and tear on the valve and decrease the valve's 'lifespan'.
I haven't seen or heard of any people doing that sort of training. I'd love to hear about any cases.

Thanks so much for the time.

Philosophunculist said:

'higher' volume endurance training and tissue valves (or mechanical valves for that matter,

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Recovery after surgery takes time, patience, and a slow buildup of your exercise program. Don't rush!

hi Philos
There are a couple of people here who work out and are into heart rate zone training.
I get in a 90 minute daily workout 6 days a week. Heart rate 70-80%. I have a tissue valve. Nearing my second anniversary in Febuary.(or is it the third) no tissue issues so far.

d333gs said:

hi Philos
There are a couple of people here who work out and are into heart rate zone training.
I get in a 90 minute daily workout 6 days a week. Heart rate 70-80%. I have a tissue valve. Nearing my second anniversary in Febuary.(or is it the third) no tissue issues so far.

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Thank so much for the response D333gs. I really appreciate all the information I can get!

Philosophunculist said:

There is a ton of great information on the site regarding mechanical and tissue valves and valve selection but I haven't found anything regarding 'higher' volume endurance training and tissue valves (or mechanical valves for that matter, but I'm pretty sure an extra few million beats aren't going to do much to carbon fiber)...

Does anyone know of anyone doing a moderate to high volume of endurance training (more than 10-15 hrs/week with their HR at or above 70-80% HR max)?

Physics usually works So one would think it would increase the wear and tear on the valve and decrease the valve's 'lifespan'.
I haven't seen or heard of any people doing that sort of training. I'd love to hear about any cases.

Thanks so much for the time.

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OK, I see you just joined. Did you get OHS yet?

3mm said:

Recovery after surgery takes time, patience, and a slow buildup of your exercise program. Don't rush!

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Slow and steady is always good advice. Thanks for the response.

d333gs said:

OK, I see you just joined. Did you get OHS yet?

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No surgery yet. Will have AVR and an aneurysm dealt with.... I am the process of figuring out what procedure to get and who to do it .

d333gs said:

I get in a 90 minute daily workout 6 days a week. Heart rate 70-80%.

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I think I figured out how to use quotes and actually respond...I wanted to tell you: Your mitochondria love you for this .

Philosophunculist said:

Does anyone know of anyone doing a moderate to high volume of endurance training (more than 10-15 hrs/week with their HR at or above 70-80% HR max)?

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I do about 9 to 11 hours per week of endurance training. I do the vast majority of my training in zone 2 and keep it about 60 to 75 % HR max. I have a mechanical valve.

I am very happy with the improvements to my endurance. I returned to endurance training about 4 months after surgery and have been surprised with my gains. I can look back over each 6 month period and say that it has continued to improve. Being 3.5+ years out of surgery, I would have expected it to have plateaud a couple of years ago. I believe that the remodeling of the heart following surgery, after being under high pressure for so long, can take a few years.

Chuck C said:

I do about 9 to 11 hours per week of endurance training. I do the vast majority of my training in zone 2 and keep it about 60 to 75 % HR max. I have a mechanical valve.

I am very happy with the improvements to my endurance. I returned to endurance training about 4 months after surgery and have been surprised with my gains. I can look back over each 6 month period and say that it has continued to improve. Being 3.5+ years out of surgery, I would have expected it to have plateaud a couple of years ago. I believe that the remodeling of the heart following surgery, after being under high pressure for so long, can take a few years.

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That is awesome to hear! Your mitochondria are loving you too!!! I am interested because I know there are more than a handful of outliers who have gotten many, many years from a tissue valve, but I can't find anyone who has gotten a bunch while doing a high volume of endurance exercise.

If I were to get a tissue valve, one of the things I would realize is that it would be a temporary fix and that I would be almost certainly signing up for a second OHS surgery (and a mechanical valve)....I think It could be reasonable for someone my age to expect maybe 7-10 years with a tissue valve...But I have to think that number might shrink quite a bit with lots and lots of cardio...one of the reasons I'd be considering the tissue valve is a lifestyle that would include lots and lots and lots of training and mtb/gravel racing...Just wondering if there are any zany cases of folks who won the lottery and do lots of training and have a functioning tissue valve for some absurdly long-time .

Thanks so much for responding again. The discussion is super helpful. Now I'm going back down the rabbit hole that has become my life: Neglecting everything but amateur research on all things heart valve replacement .

Mechanical valves are accelerated life cycled at 1000 beats per minute and they still don't "wear out" so 150 bpm is no big deal.

nobog said:

Mechanical valves are accelerated life cycled at 1000 beats per minute and they still don't "wear out" so 150 bpm is no big deal.

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Sounds about right...I wouldn't expect to wear out carbon if I lived 3 lifetimes. But, im guessing the same doesn't apply to tissue. I would have figured there would be at least one crazy outlier who has had a tissue valve for 10 years and throws down a BQ marathon time...but maybe not. That would be sort of telling.

Just a note, the valves are made of carbon (in case of SJM it's carbon coated graphite) - nothing close to carbon fiber.

nobog said:

Just a note, the valves are made of carbon (in case of SJM it's carbon coated graphite) - nothing close to carbon fiber.

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Ha! Im too used to typing about bikes

Philosophunculist said:

Does anyone know of anyone doing a moderate to high volume of endurance training (more than 10-15 hrs/week with their HR at or above 70-80% HR max)?

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Leadville did ... but he's more autistic than me and left ... he's a power athlete, cycling and weight training. Oh, and he's on a mech ... which are more haemoglobin smashing in nature than bio are ... dig through his posts. He's more "terse" (meaning less verbose) than me but his few words are worth a lot.

I'm no athlete, I just practice moderate regular exersize.

7 years of ~5hrs week 120-150BPM / different kinds of training. No changes noticeable or detected on Echo.
Just finished the TMB hike in 6 days / 75 total intense hours with some altitude -- All Good !!

I'm following this, and have similar concerns. I'm a regular mountain biker, spending 6 months a year going from Mt Bike area to Mt Bike area in the US and Canada. 67, 5 years in on a Edwards Magna Ease (Bio) Sometimes really push it. No ill effects yet, Next Echo in about a month. Also interested in any data on lengthening biomaterial via diet/supplementation or meds. On Lipitor 20Mg and Take Magnesium Citrate 200mg 2x/day based on some prelim research I saw on calcification Px in normal cardiac/circulatory tissue