Exercise and walking

[chuckdc37]

I'm in the fifth week post op after avr and things are peachy keen. I've noticed that if I walk before doing my upper body stretches that my chest incision and muscles aren't so irritated while walking. My physical therapist told me that the stretches are essentially a minor tearing of tissues that have healed hence the ache/ irritation. Anyone else hear this?

 

[stilldreamin]

If you walk before you do your stretches your tissues are warmed up nicely and will stretch with less discomfort, and less discomfort afterwards. What you're stretching is a combination of muscle and scar tissue, so there will be some tearing and rearranging of those tissues, but on a microscopic level. The same as exercise will cause tears in healthy muscle. But with scar tissue there is more of a "burn" to it. Just don't over do it.. there shouldn't be pain involved.
Glad to hear you're doing so well! Keep up what you're doin... I'm right behind you in recovery!

jen