BAV & Resistance Training

[Lucky13]

I'm 50 and Nov will be one year since my OHS. I had valve sparing aortic root replacement surgery (aka David procedure). I was doing Crossfit years before my surgery. Both cardiologists never gave me any restrictions but my surgeon reprimanded me for heavy weightlifting. After surgery my surgeon's office gave me weightlifting restrictions of 40lbs (I've seen where others recommend half your body weight) and low heart rate activities. When I seen my Cardio 3 months post surgery he told me no restrictions what so ever. After I told him he looked at my file and told me he understands the weightlifting restrictions but he compromised with my heart rate to 80% of max (220-age). The reality is there is no consensus or medical trials to document what you can do afterwards. I've accepted that I no longer will lift heavy. I figure it's probably safe in the long run. I have made it a challenge to myself to find new or different exercise options to satisfy my hunger for exercise. I do miss the lifting but figure no need to push myself at my age. I got bored with the light lifting so I do body weight classes with my wife, work out with a TRX straps, DVD's from Mark Lauren, etc. The point is don't get frustrated just find other avenues to exercise.

 

[Odie]

Hi everyone. Unfortunately the Mayo-clinic connections were not aware of any papers on this topic. The best they could point to is the short-term experience of their cardiac-rehab facility where they have all patients perform resistance exercise, even very high risk individuals, but have never experienced a complication in several thousand cardiac patients -- many with severe valvular heart disease. They stressed that their rehab staff requires "patients avoid breath holding and straining during resistance training".