BAV and WeightLifting?

[Guest]

Hello everyone,
2 months ago I went to a new doctor for a routine visit, I am 21 years old. He told me that he heard a murmur and he thought that I had something called BAV. I did an echocardiogram exam which shows that I actually had BAV. What I found out at the same time is that my father has the same thing, he's 60 years old and never had a problem with it. Basically my doctor told me that i had nothing to worry about and that the only complication that might arise is that when I’m older my hearth might get calcified and I would need surgery.

About 1.5 year ago I started working out pretty seriously. I go to the gym 6 times a week and lift in the 3-8 rep range. Weightlifting got me out of depression and was the cause for so many positive changes in my life. It’s a big part of who I am now and just thinking about the idea of not being to do it to my fullest makes depressed. He told me to keep live my lift without restriction.

Well a few weeks ago I googled the condition I had and I read that a lot of people had to stop lifting or change their routines because of this condition. A lot of websites were saying that you are not supposed to lift heavy weights with this condition because it might put too much stress on the aorta.

Now, being an anxious person too i’m constantly monitor my hearth while working out and scared that I might be doing some irreversible damage to my hearth by working out.

Should I worry about working out? What are the dangers of it?
Any of you kept and active lifestyle with BAV?
(Also I found out that Arnold had the same condition and he was a Bodybuilding champion, which makes me feel better about it).

 

[Paleowoman]

Hi - I had BAV found when I was 25, it wasn't followed or anything until I was 53. I had my aortic valve replaced when I was 60. From age 53 to two months before surgery I did weight lifting without restrictions. Although I'm a woman and was 60 I was lifting pretty heavy, for example 275 pounds leg press (hammer strength) which would certainly exercise my heart ! I know that for me weight lifting was actually beneficial for my heart as when I had the final echocardiogram two months before surgery, the technicain asked me if I did weightlifting - he said he could see from my heart muscle that I did weight lifting ! I had to restrict the weight from then on though, so that's only two months before surgery, but I was lfiting weights the day before surgery !

Yes, Arnold had BAV too !

 

[Tirone]

Hi

BAV isn't a big deal, as long as the valve works like it should, meaning that there is no regurgitation and no stenosis. Restrictions are mainly for people with leaky/stenotic valves or who suffer from cardiac failure. If I was in your shoes, I would continue weight lifting. My leaky BAV was discovered before I turned 30. In my twenties I went to the army, did a lot of weigh lifting an endurance sports. I didn't have to worry about my valve because I didn't know about it. No one can tell, whether restrictions would have delayed my valve repair. After a David procedure, my BAV is not leaky anymore and I'm glad I can still live a normal life with a lot of (unrestricted) sports.

BTW: After the initial diagnosis it took me a couple of weeks to get back to the normal workout routine, I guess that's normal. As long as your worried, your mind is making the restrictions.

 

[AZ Don]

As you say, the concern is the risk to the aorta, not so much the valve. Having a BAV, your risk of developing an aortic aneurysm at some point are 20% or more. If you do develop an aortic aneurysm than cutting back on weight lifting would be highly recommended. An aortic aneurysm can dissect at sizes below the recommended surgical criteria and this is often associated to physical or mental stress. (for more info see: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109709040753). In this talk on BAV (http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/...11/25/bicuspid-aortic-valve-conference-video/), starting at about 1:27:00, when the aorta measures above 4cm, restrictions on heavy weight lifting are recommended and above 4.5cm, significant restrictions on weight lifting are recommended. If you do have an aortic aneurysm and then have it repaired, the restrictions on weight lifting are then reduced to non-existent. Dr's are not all in agreement here and there is not a lot of evidence pointing one way or the other.

I would think that unless you develop an enlarged aorta, you can continue heavy weight lifting but suggest that you discuss thoroughly with your Dr. I have not heard of any evidence that weight lifting can lead to aortic aneurysm, only that it is a risk to those that already have it. (Arnold never developed an aortic aneurysm).

 

[AZ Don]

As you say, the concern is the risk to the aorta, not so much the valve. Having a BAV, your risk of developing an aortic aneurysm at some point are 20% or more. If you do develop an aortic aneurysm than cutting back on weight lifting would be highly recommended. An aortic aneurysm can dissect at sizes below the recommended surgical criteria and this is often associated to physical or mental stress. (for more info see: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109709040753). In this talk on BAV: http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/...11/25/bicuspid-aortic-valve-conference-video/, starting at about 1:27:00, when the aorta measures above 4cm, restrictions on heavy weight lifting are recommended and above 4.5cm, significant restrictions on weight lifting are recommended. If you do have an aortic aneurysm and then have it repaired, the restrictions on weight lifting are then reduced to non-existent. Dr's are not all in agreement here and there is not a lot of evidence pointing one way or the other.

I would think that unless you develop an enlarged aorta, you can continue heavy weight lifting but suggest that you discuss thoroughly with your Dr. I have not heard of any evidence that weight lifting can lead to aortic aneurysm, only that it is a risk to those that already have it. (Arnold never developed an aortic aneurysm).

 

[AZ Don]

As you say, the concern is the risk to the aorta, not so much the valve. Having a BAV, your risk of developing an aortic aneurysm at some point are 20% or more. If you do develop an aortic aneurysm than cutting back on weight lifting would be highly recommended. An aortic aneurysm can dissect at sizes below the recommended surgical criteria and this is often associated to physical or mental stress. (for more info see: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109709040753). In this talk on BAV: http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/...11/25/bicuspid-aortic-valve-conference-video/, starting at about 1:27:00, when the aorta measures above 4cm, restrictions on heavy weight lifting are recommended and above 4.5cm, significant restrictions on weight lifting are recommended. If you do have an aortic aneurysm and then have it repaired, the restrictions on weight lifting are then reduced to non-existent. Dr's are not all in agreement here and there is not a lot of evidence pointing one way or the other.

I would think that unless you develop an enlarged aorta, you can continue heavy weight lifting but suggest that you discuss thoroughly with your Dr. I have not heard of any evidence that weight lifting can lead to aortic aneurysm, only that it is a risk to those that already have it. (Arnold never developed an aortic aneurysm).

 

[AZ Don]

As you say, the concern is the risk to the aorta, not so much the valve. Having a BAV, your risk of developing an aortic aneurysm at some point are 20% or more. If you do develop an aortic aneurysm than cutting back on weight lifting would be highly recommended. An aortic aneurysm can dissect at sizes below the recommended surgical criteria and this is often associated to physical or mental stress. (for more info see: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109709040753). In this talk on BAV (http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/...11/25/bicuspid-aortic-valve-conference-video/), starting at about 1:27:00, when the aorta measures above 4cm, restrictions on heavy weight lifting are recommended and above 4.5cm, significant restrictions on weight lifting are recommended. If you do have an aortic aneurysm and then have it repaired, the restrictions on weight lifting are then reduced to non-existent. Dr's are not all in agreement here and there is not a lot of evidence pointing one way or the other.

I would think that unless you develop an enlarged aorta, you can continue heavy weight lifting but suggest that you discuss thoroughly with your Dr. I have not heard of any evidence that weight lifting can lead to aortic aneurysm, only that it is a risk to those that already have it. (Arnold never developed an aortic aneurysm).

 

[AZ Don]

​As you say, the concern is the risk to the aorta, not so much the valve. Having a BAV, your risk of developing an aortic aneurysm at some point are 20% or more. If you do develop an aortic aneurysm than cutting back on weight lifting would be highly recommended. An aortic aneurysm can dissect at sizes below the recommended surgical criteria and this is often associated to physical or mental stress. (for more info see: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109709040753). In this talk on BAV (http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/...11/25/bicuspid-aortic-valve-conference-video/), starting at about 1:27:00, when the aorta measures above 4cm, restrictions on heavy weight lifting are recommended and above 4.5cm, significant restrictions on weight lifting are recommended. If you do have an aortic aneurysm and then have it repaired, the restrictions on weight lifting are then reduced to non-existent. Dr's are not all in agreement here and there is not a lot of evidence pointing one way or the other.

I would think that unless you develop an enlarged aorta, you can continue heavy weight lifting but suggest that you discuss thoroughly with your Dr. I have not heard of any evidence that weight lifting can lead to aortic aneurysm, only that it is a risk to those that already have it. (Arnold never developed an aortic aneurysm).

 

[AZ Don]

As you say, the concern is the risk to the aorta, not so much the valve. Having a BAV, your risk of developing an aortic aneurysm at some point are 20% or more. If you do develop an aortic aneurysm than cutting back on weight lifting would be highly recommended. An aortic aneurysm can dissect at sizes below the recommended surgical criteria and this is often associated to physical or mental stress. When the aorta measures above 4cm, restrictions on heavy weight lifting are recommended and above 4.5cm, significant restrictions on weight lifting are recommended. If you do have an aortic aneurysm and then have it repaired, the restrictions on weight lifting are then reduced to non-existent. Dr's are not all in agreement here and there is not a lot of evidence pointing one way or the other.

I would think that unless you develop an enlarged aorta, you can continue heavy weight lifting but suggest that you discuss thoroughly with your Dr. I have not heard of any evidence that weight lifting can lead to aortic aneurysm, only that it is a risk to those that already have it. (Arnold never developed an aortic aneurysm).

(FYI, I tried to post a couple links as references supporting my comments above but this forum would not accept the post with the links, so I am trying without)
And now trying to add the links in via edit:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science...35109709040753
http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/h...ference-video/ (see especially from 1:27:00)
That worked, so maybe the forum does not like links mixed with text as I originally intended?!

 

[elirn]

I would seriously suggest altering your training regimen. I was diagnosed with a BAV in my early twenties also and continued weightlifting and living a normal life.

There is enormous strain on your aorta when lifting heavy at low reps. This pressure can lead to a rupture - I.e. Jon Pall Sigmarsson.

In my scenario, I was monitored every two years and had a normal aortic measurement and functional valve. However, I received a blunt force traumatic impact to my chest playing hockey, which ruptured my aorta and necessitated a repair. After my surgery the surgeon told me my valve looked fine and worked, but was replaced any way. In retrospect, I would not have continued lifting heavy because you don't know exactly how your body will react. Someone like Arnold Schwartznegger was fine lifting heavy, but others will dissect. My surgeon also suggested my weight lifting practices could have could have been a contributing factor.

In my opinion, it's better to play it safe and reduce the weight to focus on reps. There are different kinds of strength and you don't need to lift the heaviest weight to be the strongest. I have a buddy that was in the Canadian Armed Forces and is the strongest person I know. I could bench more than him (barely), but he could do all sorts of body weight exercises and was seriously ripped (he never bench presses). I am only now able to exercise regularly and will NOT be lifting heavy again.

Most people don't survive a dissection, so please be careful. Reps, reps, reps. =D

All the best.