Heavy lifting post surgery......

[jade100]

Hi all,

I went to cardiac rehab today & the physio told me I should not be lifting anything heavier than 20kg for the rest of my life?! Have you been told this? It seems like a general number they maybe tell everyone but surely at my age (31) this is not accurate? It's the weight of an average 4 year old!

Look forward to hearing your replies.....

Ross:smile2:

 

[epstns]

I don't know your age or the condition that put you here, but I can tell you that my cardio has removed all restrictions in my case. He just says that I can do whatever I was able to do a couple of years before surgery. I'm 64, and I'm not an olympic weight lifter, but I don't worry about "limits." I just worry about whether or not I feel that I can safely lift whatever it is. I probably don't lift above 50 lbs. or so, but that's my choice, not doctor's orders.

I would consult your cardio after you finish rehab. During rehab, there is still a lot of healing going on, and their restrictions may make good sense. After rehab, I would defer to the opinion of a trusted cardio.

 

[Jkm7]

Check with your cardio. That seems extremely low. While we all have severe weight restrictions immediately post op while our sternum heals, those restrictions are lifted when healing gets to a certain point. I would not stress what the physio said. Consult your doctors.

 

[Mentu]

Speaking from my own experience, 20 kg is not a signifigant figure unless you have other health issues. After the sternum is healed one should be able to begin building back strength to a normal level of exercise. I had no weight restrictions imposed after three months.

Larry

 

[marc_kowal]

After my 3 month rehab, all lifting restrictions were removed from me. I just built things up slowly after that and listened to my body. No need to push too hard to fast, especially after everything you've just gone through.

 

[Lynlw]

Itusually isnt something that genral and depends on a couple things, like what condition your Aorta is, is there concern of future annuerysms/dissection? FWIW Justin ( and many others i know) arent given a "number" as far as lifting, but told NOT to lift anything that requires you to bear down and "grunt" Origonally he was given those instructions since he was a growing child and since kids come in all shapes and sizes, even kids the same age, they give that general rule, IF you are straining enough to have to bear down and grunt, usually the pressures are going very high in your heart and Aorta . So even for adults, it makes more sense to me, since what might be really light for one person, could make another person grunt.
Now right in the beginning of recovery, its different and that is mainly because you have to let everything heal, your heart and alll the seams as well as bones. and no matter what kind of shape your in bones still need a certain amount of time to heal, since they cant "cast" them like thy can for broken arrms and legs.

I would ask your surgeon and Cardiologist what reccomendation they make as far as restrictions if any.

 

[hook]

I use 35lb dumbbells for a total of 70lbs for military and bench flys with no problem. My doc said he didn't want any vien popping sets, but work until muscle fatigue and then rest.

I had a mitral valve replacement so other issues may carry other restrictions; I was told not to over do it and not to be a meathead.

 

[TheGymGuy]

Lynlw and others made some good points. Initially, you will have some pretty severe limitations placed on you so that you can recover and heal. Amount of bone that is broken in our sternum is huuuuge, and it needs serious effort in healing.

I do not remember what was done to you, but if your aorta was not fixed during surgery or if they think it might need fixing in the future or is at risk you might have some lifetime restrictions on weights.

From everything that people say on here and stuff that I have read, after AVR you should be able to return to your pre-AVR physical activities be they triathlons, avid golfing, or some weighlifting. It might take some time to get there, but once it is very much possible.

 

[Bill B]

I had quite a bit of aorta replaced as well as my aortic valve. After the initial recovery period of 3 months ALL exercise restrictions were removed. Unless you have some other condition or the repair work was not complete, it would be unusal to have restrictions for life.

 

[camgough]

The surgeon told me "don't lift pianos or refrigerators". I guess that was him saying no restrictions.

 

[Eva]

I would check with the Cardiologist. I had more restrictions than others right after my surgery, but only until my sternum completely healed.

 

[Rachel]

After over a year, I still have weight restrictions and I'm told not to lift more than 11kg (or 25 pounds), but I'm sure I'm the exception.

Rachel

 

[Greg a]

20kg is only 44 lbs .....I have no sternum and lift my grand children (4yrs, 7yrs and 11months on a regular basis)......I was told no more than 10lbs for the rest of my life but have built up to this level as tolerated.....my restrictions were recommended five years ago when I lost my sternum and due to the pectoral flap

 

[Bean Counter]

That does not seem reasonable unless there is some other underlying condition that they are being cautious about. Like others, I had all my restrictions removed about 6 months after surgery. I was running pretty hard...until I messed up my foot last summer. Decided to get back into weight lifting and I was pushing pretty hard and never felt anything unusual. My cardiologist knew about this as well and was not concerned (at least he did not share it with me). The only think he "restricted" me from doing was the beer mile, although I dont think he would give any patient his blessing to do that.

 

[SusQ]

I've found it depends on who you ask. Hubby was given the okay by his original surgeon to return to full work duties once healed. He's a butcher, used to living 250 pound sides of beef, pulling hides, etc. However, a senior cardiologist who saw him before he left the hospital said he should never again lift that much, lift over his head, or work with the live animals. The doctor we have chosen for follow up has a pretty neutral view. In all likelihood hubby is done lifting sides and pulling hides much, but he will continue to lift tubs over his head to put product into the machines.

 

[yotphix]

My cardiologist is fond of saying 'life is for living', in response to such things. He does admonish me to use common sense. I'm still not sure about the 170lb propane tanks I put up on a 3' high bracket regularly! My wife is convinced I really shouldn't, but it feels fine.
I would definitely ask someone else. Unless you have some underlying condition precluding normal lifting, 20kg is very low. Normal life sometimes wants more than that lifted.

 

[Lauratx22]

I do dumbbells upper body 15-30 pounds and lower body 25-40 but this is where I am stopping at. I put a limit on myself. My cardiologist said 15 pounds should be my overall limit without asking what I was lifting prior to giving birth and having my mitral valve blow. I think most cardiologists that say "the rest of your life" is just covering their *** and to seek another opinion.

 

[Laggard]

Seven weeks later my Cardiologist tells me my weight limit is 20. My surgeons PA tells me 10 and the cardiac rehab people tell me 30.

No idea what it should be.

 

[SheldonGrunwald]

No idea what it should be.

I have no idea either. I have heard so many different recommendations that people on this forum have received from medical professionals regarding the maximum amount of weight that should be lifted. You would think there would be more of a consensus in the medical community about a subject this important.

the recommendations range everywhere from lift no more than 10 pounds for the rest of your life to no restrictions at all on the amount of weight. I would really like to start lifting heavy again, but not if it endangers my life.

 

[Gribur]

I am very glad i found this thread, great question. I was reading a bit about this as i was hoping to do some weight training when i heal up and get myself looking sexy for my wife, lol or at least avoid a gut. I read in a few places on the net that it should be no more then 100lbs for somebody who has had a valve replaced and if like me you have had any sort of graft to repair an aorta ( i had my ascending aorta done) that you are pretty much screwed when it comes to lifting for the rest of your life. I am very discouraged from what I have read First off, I am reading that if you have a graft and a valve done that your lifespan is shortened (I am hoping this is not true either) and secondly that because you have had both done that lifting weights , your children etc. may be a death sentence. Chime in if you have info, I could sure use some good news.