Mixed exercise signals-especially basketball

[JustHarmless]

I have gotten mixed signals as to the level of activity that I am allowed to do. I am 45 years old and had a mitral valve repair with an annuloplasty done in May 2002. I was always a very active basketball player, and began playing again after surgery for a couple of years until my cardiologist told me that competitive basketball was detrimental to the long term integrity of my "compromised" valve, although shooting baskets was acceptable. In the time that I played, I felt fine, and my ECHOs were always fine, with just a minimal MR, and a 65% EF and all heart parameters normal, like LA size, LV size, etc. I walk daily, lift light weights, shoot baskets, and play tennis occasionally. Can I play competitive basketball? Would playing once a week be detrimental? Please help? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Warren...aka JustHarmless

 

[geebee]

Warren,

I just want to welcome you as I am not sure how to answer your questions about basketball.

However, I guess my thoughts are: what is the point of having your valve fixed if you can't be as active as you want to be?

I don't curtail my activity and do anything I want and, if I get tired, I stop. I would think that you should be able to participate in any activity that your stamina would allow.

I would ask your doctor what he thinks is going to happen if you play competitive basketball and why.

Good luck to you and have fun.

 

[BillCobit]

Can I play competitive basketball?
Warren...aka JustHarmless

Hi Warren

I had the same procedure you did in Jan '02, and I'm just a few years older than you are.

The text book answer to your question is "NO." But I spend as much of my free time as I can in the rightmost column in the table below. Others at this forum w/ various aortic & mitral valve surgeries are also very active athletes (Arpy, LLJ, HosackTom, Mark Wagner, Buzz Lanning, Pappahappystar, MSiwik, to name a few).

My cardiologist is aware of what I do - his only response has been to perform a stress echo after a few years to see if there were any apparent valve or heart motion abnormalities. He does agree that prior surgery is a risk factor for some type of adverse heart event in the future, but likes my lifestyle because it reduces controllable risks for CAD, hypertension, etc. Just one doc's opinion, and just because I find it convenient doesn't mean it's right. The only issue I have is that my performance (speed) is lousy due to lingering low ejection fraction.

I don't have any kind of post-op relationship w/ my heart surgeon, but I did send him a copy of my Ironman finisher picture because I thought he'd get a kick out of it. If it caused any alarm w/ him, he kept it to himself when he wrote me a congratulatory letter.

So are we taking foolish risks? I guess only God knows for sure. But I'm in GeeBee's camp - I got my valve fixed so I could enjoy life.

Best wishes whatever you decide. You might be in unknown territory from your cardiologist's viewpoint, but you can always find comrades here!

Welcome & best regards,
Bill

from: http://www.acc.org/clinical/bethesda/beth36/index.pdf

36th Bethesda Conference
Eligibility Recommendations for
Competitive Athletes With Cardiovascular Abnormalities

 

[Karlynn]

My thought is that either your doctor is being overly cautious, or he's not filling you in completely on the state of your heart. I would ask for exact reasoning for his orders.

 

[JustHarmless]

thanks all so far!!

thanks all so far!!

Hey all!! Thanks for such quick and knowledgeable responses. It figures that I pick a sport that involves a lot of physical contact...although I am a jump shooter and I don't spend a lot of time under the boards...

Bill...awesome site and info...a million thanks!

Karlynn...my cardiologist is a 50ish plus old school kind of doc...overly cautious...The frustrating for me has been that I am a physician myself, albeit a Pathologist, but I actually found the mitral regurgitation myself by just incidentily listening to my own heart one day to make sure the stethescope wasn't too cold before accessing a patient for an apheresis procedure. I carefully go over all my ECHOs and send copies to my cousin, who is also a cardiologist, and told me that my post-op heart and mitral function is great. My cousin, though, didn't have a good feel for this question either....so...here I am trying to gather as many knowledgeable opinions and experiences as I can..

Warren

 

[Lynlw]

My Son Justin (17)was born w/ complex CHDs so had alot more done then the valve replacement (actually didn't even have a pulmonary valve until last May)and I think it is probably the fact it is a contact sport that makes your doctor say no, Since Justin and most of the kids w/ CHD I know, aren't allowed to do contact sports. Now I know different people have different ideas what a contact sport is, lol some consider soccer or basketball contact sports, but Justin's just say he can't play football or lacrosse. I know most people would never think of baseball a contact sport, but Justin is a catcher, (with his docs ok)and there were a few times he had me a little nervous there.
I would definately ask him why basketball isn't ok, Lyn www.caringbridge.org/nj/justinw

 

[Lynlw]

here's a link

here's a link

to Hoiberg from the NBA that just had heart surgery and got a pacemaker and "may" return, he hasn't been cleared yet http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2300078
Lyn

 

[msiwik]

great advice

great advice

Hey all!! Thanks for such quick and knowledgeable responses. It figures that I pick a sport that involves a lot of physical contact...although I am a jump shooter and I don't spend a lot of time under the boards...

Bill...awesome site and info...a million thanks!

Karlynn...my cardiologist is a 50ish plus old school kind of doc...overly cautious...The frustrating for me has been that I am a physician myself, albeit a Pathologist, but I actually found the mitral regurgitation myself by just incidentily listening to my own heart one day to make sure the stethescope wasn't too cold before accessing a patient for an apheresis procedure. I carefully go over all my ECHOs and send copies to my cousin, who is also a cardiologist, and told me that my post-op heart and mitral function is great. My cousin, though, didn't have a good feel for this question either....so...here I am trying to gather as many knowledgeable opinions and experiences as I can..

Warren

Warren: BillC summed it up best and is a great resource/reference for you. The Bethesda Conference is really all we have from a medical resource standpoint. I hope you stay involved with the site here. Regards, Mark