Question about lifting restrictions...

[CHDDoug]

I'm currently 8 weeks post op from AVR (Ross procedure) and am doing great. I have a couple of questions that I need help with (waiting on an answer from my out-of-town surgeon and am getting impatient).

1. What should be my lifting restrictions by week? I'm lifting no more than 20-25 lbs now at 8 weeks. When can I lift 50 lbs? 75 lbs?
2. When can I start jogging again? After the sternum heals? I'm walking 10-15 miles a week, but when can I start jogging?
3. When can I start doing sit-ups?

If anyone has any feedback that they've gotten from their surgeons, it would be greatly appreciated!!! I appreciate everyone on this site that gives their wonderful advise!

Take care.

 

[Philip B]

Exercise Stuff

Exercise Stuff

Hi Doug,

Hmmmm...lifting, jogging and situps...

One of the common themes I've see here is a recommended twelve week wait before working back into a regular exercise program. Some of us didn't follow this recommendation and some of us had a better outcome than others when we returned to regular exercise before the twelve week recommended wait was over.

Personally, I figured my body would tell me what it could handle if I listened to what it told me. Listening worked and I was able to get away with pushing the envelope. This said, it would probably be better advice to tell you to have a serious conversation with your doctor and follow his/her directions.

-Philip

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Doug,

When you get an answer from your Doc's,
PLEASE TELL US !

I'm several years post-op and have NO IDEA what limits I should observe.

FWIW, my 'understanding' is that the sternum is healed to 85% of it's strength after 6 weeks and reaches 100% at 12 weeks, *assuming* NO 'difficulties'.

 

[Dina]

I was told to go with how I feel re exercise,but to work up to it slowly.
The weight Im not sure of because I dont know how long it takes the
sternum to heal. I would do more repitition and less weight,but to be safe
always ask the Doc.
Wishing you the best,Dina

 

[Magic8Ball]

I was give a strict weight restriction post surgery (can't remember what it was) but basically it was a lift nothing do nothing kinda restriction.

Once i had my first checkup i think i was put on 40lbs.

After 6 months i was told i could lift almost anything as long as the cardio said i could "hold a conversation while doing so".....in essence, you can't strain or hold your breath while lifting as you increase your blood pressure **POP**

For what its worth, i likened my surgery to a leaky hosepipe, even though you can fix it with a join or some gaffer tape it can never quite be the same again and you shouldn't expect it to be...I did very little for a good year post surgery, just normal active lifestyle with two kids and that was enough for me.

I have recently joined the gym and am now lifting light weights and putting myself under some stress....i figure that all the stiches have had time to 'take' and any scar tissue has sealed the gaps so i should be much safer now than then.

I know its not really a scientfic approach but i feel more comfortable having waited a fair amount of time and not had any issues before pushing the envelope.

Regards.

 

[Ed_War]

Hi Doug:

I'm a 49 year old male and am 13 weeks post op for Mitral valve Repair (1-8-08) and have been in Cardio Rehab for the last 6 1/2 weeks. I have had no real problems with my surgery or recovery.

I started intervalling (is that even a word) my treadmill workouts, adding jogging at a 5mph pace in rehab about 3 weeks ago. I am currently going 60 minutes on the treadmill and intervilling between 4.5 and 5.5 mph for a total distance of approx 4.9 miles a day, six days a week. Not a lot of speed yet, but considering I was out of breath walking to the end of my driveway 4 moths ago I'll take where I am. I'm also started lifting about 2 weeks ago...2-3 times a week, nothing really heavy but enough to feel it. Your chest will let you know when you can start with the lifting and at what weight...I tried to start about 2 weeks before I was finally able to begin and beleive me.....I knew that it was a bad idea right away.

They let me go at my own pace at rehab as long as I keep it below my target heart rate. My doc was in agreement that i could start jogging as soon as I felt up to it.

The best advise that I can give you is to talk to your Doc and LISTEN to your body....it will let you know when you are ready to start pushing it.

Ed

 

[MikeHeim]

The weights are a bit of a tricky issue. Some of the folks around here have been put on a 50lb lifting restriction for life, which is virtually impossible to live by. I started lifting somewhere in the 4-5 months range, but not because someone told me I couldn't. I just wasn't comfortable with it yet and felt like I should wait a little longer.

As far as jogging goes - you should be able to start whenever you like. I tried sometime around six weeks, but things didn't go well. It takes quite a while to build yourself up again to whatever shape you were in pre-op. I was never given a restriction from situps, so I would assume you can start doing those whenever you feel up to it.

At eight weeks your sternum should be fully healed and not be causing you any restrictions - which is part of the reason for the light weight restriction immediately post-op.

 

[jds]

I had a pretty gung-ho doctor

I had a pretty gung-ho doctor

Hello -

I was walking a lot right post-surgery. He said to hold off running for a month and hold off lifting for two months. Then he said no sternum stress or risk of sternum injury for another month - i.e. no chest presses, rows, etc. and no biking. He recommended not swimming until 3 months post surgery but that was not a problem for me. Stationary bike, walking, jogging were plenty of cardio. If you are walking, walk faster or longer or more on hills.

I started leg presses after two months - starting slowly and working up. Also, did push-ups just off the wall. Stand 2-3 feet back and press yourself upright them lower to touch your nose on the wall.

Aside from that, he said go for it. But talk to your doctor. Everyone is a little different and has different issues with healing.

John

 

[briansmom]

IMHO, the lifting restrictions come from the short BP spike you get when you lift. This is why it is almost impossible to generalize a weight that is ok. Some people will not be able to lift 10 lbs without straining while a previous weight lifter can lift 100 lbs without straining. Anyone with a previous valve replacement or repair should not allow their BP to spike. Remember to NEVER hold your breath for any part of your exertion and go with what your muscles can tolerate.

 

[PairoDocs]

I know most people would rather not experience pain, but in this case pain is one of your best friends when it comes to recovery from a medial sternotomy. It feels like a broken bone because that's exactly what it is, with the addition of some small amount of bone removed between each half. Bones knit at pretty much the same rate, hence the total weight restriction until 6 weeks.

Pain has warned me away from pushing myself too hard too soon. At one point 3 weeks after surgery I tried to lift a gallon of milk--too much and my mother had to pour it for me. I babied myself until a bit after 6 weeks the gallon was fine. Then I slowly--and I emphasize that--increased what I carried. First, I only carried a gallon of water in two buckets evenly balanced between my arms out to my chickens, even if it meant 2 or 3 trips to the faucet about 100 feet from the chicken houses. At about 10 weeks I was able to carefully lift my 40 lbs. daughter, but not my 70 lbs. son. Two gallons each bucket by then. Three gallons in a bucket hurt so I would pour off enough water so the pain wasn't there when I picked it up again. By 11 weeks the third gallon each bucket stayed.

Then things improved more rapidly. As long as I didn't try to pull across my chest or hug too tightly, there was no pain, and thus it was okay. By 12 or 13 weeks both 5 gallon buckets were full and I could carry 50 lbs. sacks of feed over my shoulders to my chickens. Around this time I managed two from the floor normal pushups--pain stopped me from attempting a third. At about 14 weeks I carried both kids downstairs at the same time. It hurt a little so I put them down when I reached the bottom. Now I can pick both up without pain. Swimming and other stuff hasn't been tried yet due to no local pools being open--except in a town about 20 miles from here--and you know the gas costs....

The main point is that you do listen to your body or else you may end up like a good friend of mine. He had great results from a valve replacement two years ago, and about 4 weeks after surgery he tried lifting large hunks (over 50 lbs.) of petrified wood and other rocks, and ended up injuring his sternum to the point that even now he can't lift 30 lbs. with both arms--despite his health otherwise being great--and daily his sternum aches. Take it slow and enjoy! Go too quickly and pay!

Chris