Stiffness and soreness in the sternum

[chaconne]

I am nearly 6 weeks post op and it seems that my sternum has become more stiff and sore over the last week. Since 4 weeks, my cardio upped the allowable lifting to 20 lbs. I know I exceeded this once this last week (30lbs) but there was no obvious event or pain. When I cough, sneeze or blow my nose it feels solid and doesn't hurt much, I just wasn't expecting the dull ache to return at this point. Otherwise the incision is healing well and the bump at the top has flattened considerably.

For others out there, does it take a long time (months, years) for the soreness to go away? Should this stiffness and mild ache prevent me from doing activities (driving, lifting) even if I'm past the "official" 6-week healing period?

 

[DanielB]

My surgeon and cardio both put me on a lifting limit of 10 pounds for the first three months after surgery. I'm at nine weeks now and I still get some soreness from sleeping on it awkwardly and sometimes from really cranking the steering wheel when driving. I have been told both are normal for me. I've read on the forum where others have not had the same soreness, but it certainly has been the case for me.

Dan

 

[Boston Tiger]

My aches faded over time, but they will flare up from time to time even now, perhaps relating to changes in the weather. That deep ache is similar to what I had in other bones (a thumb and an ankle) I broke many years ago. I haven't let those aches hold me back from anything, since that's a small price to pay for being around for my kids college graduations.

 

[yotphix]

I'm 2 1/2 years out, and still get a dull ache occasionally (I think, like Boston Tiger, it can be weather related.) I also get it when I do a heavy chest workout. I can say with confidence that the ache (not a pain I would take something for, but certainly something I was aware of) was a regular feature of my life for close to 18 months. When I replaced 200 sq ft. of laminate floor by myself, and painted three rooms at about 7 or 8 weeks, I hurt terribly for a week. Take your time. Most stuff can wait a little. Not only do you need to heal the sternum, and give the connective tissues a chance to mend, but you also need to consider that heavy lifting won't help with the remodelling of your heart that you are probably hoping to achieve. My surgeon asked me not to go back to my vigourous, sometimes heavy work for 6 months! It hurt a little financially, but I don't regret that. My heart is now indistinguishable from a normal health heart, but for the carbomedics valve upgrade!

 

[bradvo]

I can only relate this OHS to a kidney surgery I had 40 years ago. It was about 6 months before I could take someone jabbing me in the side where I was operated on.
You would not believe how many times your group of friends would forget that your side was sliced open and elbow ya right smack dab at incision area.
I'm glad I am not a teenager with this recovery. I think I was a year out of that operation and could still feel little aches and pains, some areas were like the nerves never came back, I could pinch really hard and not feel a thing. I do recall 6 months seems to be the magic time for me tho with that operation.

Currently my upper back area is what is bothering me, I still cannot sleep in my bed, I'm on the couch with pillows under me. I can sleep on right side, but not left.

 

[Jkm7]

Can be lots of explanations and most are nothing to worry about but, you know our motto, when in doubt, check it out.

It could be nerve endings healing; weather related, too much strain, you overdid and your body is letting you know..... or none of those things.

It is likely a combination of all

I am 8 years out from my first OHS and four years from my second and though I had great recovery both times, even now there are times my sternum aches, my chest is mildly sore, just enough reminders of what I've been through.

I think most of us are never fully done with physical aches and pains from having our chests cracked open but we push it into the background, acknowledge it is minor in nature and move along. You are still new to this healing routine and it takes time..... lots of time.

 

[offwego]

I am nearly 6 weeks post op and it seems that my sternum has become more stiff and sore over the last week. Since 4 weeks, my cardio upped the allowable lifting to 20 lbs. I know I exceeded this once this last week (30lbs) but there was no obvious event or pain. When I cough, sneeze or blow my nose it feels solid and doesn't hurt much, I just wasn't expecting the dull ache to return at this point. Otherwise the incision is healing well and the bump at the top has flattened considerably.

For others out there, does it take a long time (months, years) for the soreness to go away? Should this stiffness and mild ache prevent me from doing activities (driving, lifting) even if I'm past the "official" 6-week healing period?

This '10 lb lifting' thing is really amusing for most people, especially males...Of course you have to be careful but people take it so literally..better to be safe than sorry of course but ... it does get a little silly to suggest men who are 41 years old can't life more than a dinner plate!

The weight is not really the important part it's how you might move with the weight and can hurt yourself...I'm 8 weeks post op and in the last 2-3 weeks there is a very noticeable improvement in healing...

Just use common sense and listen to your body...I think a more realistic time for (mostly healed) is more like 12 weeks.

I can do modified pushups but prefer to wait just a bit longer...I'm looking towards another week or two or four...

 

[chaconne]

Thanks all, especially offwego,

Sometimes we can get caught up in the numbers (5 lbs, 10lbs ...) instead of just applying common sense and going by how we feel. I guess that is my curse as a professional engineer..

I very much appreciate all of your experience and advice.

-Steve

 

[offwego]

Thanks all, especially offwego,

Sometimes we can get caught up in the numbers (5 lbs, 10lbs ...) instead of just applying common sense and going by how we feel. I guess that is my curse as a professional engineer..

I very much appreciate all of your experience and advice.

-Steve

Steve,

Glad you found my post helpful...I chuckled when I read that you are an engineer as I picked up the detailed nature of your concern for lifting 30 lbs as it's more than the doctors suggest...

My doctors are great this way...I was cleared for driving within two weeks...I've never read that before...He simply said, usually the concern is mainly with the medications (common sense)...of course the damage an air bag might do is a real concern but common sense once again and maybe it was best to be a bit more conservative..I made that call on my own...regardless of the clearance to drive..someone posted my insurance might not cover an accident if I were not cleared to drive but that was false...

I will share I over did it just a bit at around 4-5 weeks (nothing serious but much more than accidentally lifting 30 lbs) and I was very sore and it hurt more at 5 weeks than it did at 3! You might experience a different type of pain (nothing terrible) that is maybe connected to nerves and using muscles again...that pain only lasted about a week and overall it was just soreness..

Now at 8 weeks, the incision is much better, the wound is calming down almost daily and I am seeing big improvements...

Again, you're doing great...and that common sense is really more valuable than even many doctors advice who really can't know exactly what you are feeling.

 

[Mentu]

Some soreness is probably inevitable as the sternum heals. Some of us, however, developed costochondritis in the months after surgery. This is an inflammation of the cartilage where the ribs attach to the outer edge of the sternum. It is often a condition experienced by football players who get thumped in the chest. The discomfort is sometimes accompanied by swelling and both are centered at the side of the sternum not in the center. Because of the devices with which my sternum was closed, I had no significant chest pain after surgery. The costochondritis, however, has now become periodic and tends to flair when I get some kind of infection although the frequency has decreased with time. This past weekend I developed a bronchial infection and this morning woke to find the area swollen and painful along the right edge of my sternum. This discomfort is clearly along the edge of the sternum and not in the center.

Larry
Tulsa, OK

 

[Jkm7]

Steve,

Glad you found my post helpful...I chuckled when I read that you are an engineer as I picked up the detailed nature of your concern for lifting 30 lbs as it's more than the doctors suggest...

My doctors are great this way...I was cleared for driving within two weeks...I've never read that before...He simply said, usually the concern is mainly with the medications (common sense)...of course the damage an air bag might do is a real concern but common sense once again and maybe it was best to be a bit more conservative..I made that call on my own...regardless of the clearance to drive..someone posted my insurance might not cover an accident if I were not cleared to drive but that was false...
Now at 8 weeks, the incision is much better, the wound is calming down almost daily and I am seeing big improvements...


<snip>.

My first surgery, my cardio didn't clear me to drive until about 8 weeks and even then I did not feel up to it and waited longer myself.

My second surgery, same surgeon, same hospital, same cardio and I was cleared to drive just after two weeks post op. I felt up to it and drove short runs for quick errands. The most important thing I was sure to not drive if I had taken narcotic pain relief. When tylenol was sufficient, I was safe to drive.

I obeyed the do not lift more than ten pounds rule. The price was too high IMO to take a chance on a poor healing. I did not want to risk doing any dumb thing that could compromise my sternum healing properly.

 

[Lynlw]

My first surgery, my cardio didn't clear me to drive until about 8 weeks and even then I did not feel up to it and waited longer myself.

My second surgery, same surgeon, same hospital, same cardio and I was cleared to drive just after two weeks post op. I felt up to it and drove short runs for quick errands. The most important thing I was sure to not drive if I had taken narcotic pain relief. When tylenol was sufficient, I was safe to drive.

I obeyed the do not lift more than ten pounds rule. The price was too high IMO to take a chance on a poor healing. I did not want to risk doing any dumb thing that could compromise my sternum healing properly.

I agree wih you. The main reason for the 10 pound rule is because the bones have to heal. Unlike most bones they can cast when they are broken, you have to make sure you do not do things that can cause problems, like lifting too much too soon. I'm glad some people didnt end up with perm problems from lifting more than 10 pounds, but it is advised not to lift more than 10 pounds for good reasons.

 

[Fundy]

For me the big thing is remembering not to use my arms when getting up, especially when sitting or laying on the floor. I remember Lyn mentioning her son practicing not using arms; and didn't take the hint before my surgery. However, practicing and getting trained not to use arms getting up would definitely be beneficial.

I'm kind of surprised its not standard procedure for a cardiologist to strongly suggest patients start practicing this once surgery is definitely about to be scheduled for OHS.

It'll definitely be on my list of things todo before next time for sure.

 

[chaconne]

I've had a cold for the last week. Especially in the last 3 days, I've been sneezing, coughing and blowing my nose a lot. I wonder how much this contributes to problems with healing in the sternum?

 

[normofthenorth]

Like some others, I was much more concerned about rolling over in bed and sneezing than lifting, though I did take it somewhat easy for the first ~6 weeks -- and I HAD practiced getting out of bed and chairs hands-free, pre-op! (Straightening out a tangled nightshirt while you're lying on it also can easily go >>10 pounds. And others have mentioned sticky fridge doors.)

Around 11-12 months post-op, when I first returned to (indoor) beach volleyball, I found myself diving onto my chest to dig up a ball. (I think the coaches teach novices specifically to land on their sternum!) It didn't hurt, but it definitely felt "interesting"! I don't dive onto my chest very often, but I'm sure I've done it a few times since without thinking about my sternum. I don't think I've done it in court volleyball yet (on a hard floor). . . Now I'm trying NOT to think about costochondritis! (Thanks, Mentu/Larry!)

BTW, all/both of the bloggers here who have actually torn their stainless-steel wires and re-broken their sternum, did it while vomiting, as I recall. FWIW.

 

[chaconne]

Around 11-12 months post-op, when I first returned to (indoor) beach volleyball, I found myself diving onto my chest to dig up a ball. (I think the coaches teach novices specifically to land on their sternum!) It didn't hurt, but it definitely felt "interesting"! I don't dive onto my chest very often, but I'm sure I've done it a few times since without thinking about my sternum. I don't think I've done it in court volleyball yet (on a hard floor). . . Now I'm trying NOT to think about costochondritis! (Thanks, Mentu/Larry!)

Norm,

This is very encouraging. I'm glad to know that the sternum can heal to where you are able to dive onto your chest. I will not be doing this most likely (partly due to being on Warfarin for life), but it gives me hope for the activities I am likely to engage in.

-Steve

 

[Lily]

I don't know that my experience is helpful but I'll share it anyway: my surgeon gave me strict instructions to not be lifting or pushing or pulling anything over five pounds for Eight Weeks. I was also given some specific and gentle stretching exercises that helped relieve some of the tightness that developed in my sternum as it healed.

And too soon, less than three months post-op, I was out trimming a couple of trees with a hand saw and felt something awful and thought I'd dislocated or broken a rib -- Wow, the pain -- but it was costochondritis. Bad Idea that :eek2:

My OPINION for optimal longterm recovery would be to gradually increase your activity within your surgeon's and cardio's guidelines.

Best wishes

 

[Guest]

For others out there, does it take a long time (months, years) for the soreness to go away?

In my experience, yes. This time around (11/11/2011 open heart surgery), I didn't have TOO much soreness immediately after surgery, partly because my butt, back and neck were sore from all of the lying around I had to do, given the re-entry into the OR 11/12/2011. NOW, though ... I'm starting to notice the "popping" (bones healing, etc.) and the pain/soreness a bit more.



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[Superman]

Over two years out with my second surgery, and I still feel it after a good stretch. Sometimes even hear noises. Wouldn't call it "cracking" my sternum, but there's a little creaking going on. Nothing painful anymore though.

 

[carolinemc]

It took me some time to get over the stiffness. It was bad when I was working on the keyboard at work and had to slowly straighten up. Time heals sore muscles. Have a great holiday and hugs for today.