Swimming after OHS

[Gemma]

Hi there,
Just wondering how long any swimmers waited after OHS before they started swimming again. Jim's physiotherapist has advised him to wait another month or 2 for the muscles to knit together properly, apparently the surgeons "loop" the muscle up or something so it takes a while longer than you'd expect to heal (not sure he explained this to me very well!!).
Thanks,
Gemma

 

[MarkU]

Prior to my surgery I was concerned about whether they would need to cut and reattach my pectoral muscles. I asked my surgeon about it specifically and he told me that the attachment points of the muscles were not really affected during the surgery.
My sterum was very sore and took what seemed like forever to heal, but I never really had any muscle problems. I was back lifting weights within about 3 months.
I was cautioned about swimming after my surgery due to the risk of infection to my incision before was completely healed.
Mark

 

[BillCobit]

Swimming after OHS

Hi Gemma -

I started swimming about 12 weeks after surgery. I was a little sore to start, but not bad. Biggest issue was shortness of breath. But as I recall, I was up to swimming a mile by about 15 weeks.

 

[Stitch]

I had a Ross 3 years ago last December. I was swimming in March. I wanted to ride my bike (outside) also but was told not to until April. I went over the handle bars in May and was fine.

 

[Gemma]

Hi guys,
Thanks for your replies - all seem to confirm what I'd thought really. Jim's now 14 1/2 weeks post-op.
He's been cycling for a couple of months with no problems.
The swimming is a bit of a non-issue at the moment as he doesn't have access to a swimming pool currently - he can join my gym for half-price membership, but not until he gets a referral from rehab, which will be happening in the next week or 2 (for which I'm reading MONTH or 2 going by previous form!). Then he'll be able to get in the pool. He could join sooner but I think he'd have to pay full membership without the referral letter. What a tangle! Also wants to wait until his scar is totally healed so as to avoid infection.
This thing about the muscles just confused me a bit - I know they'll be weaker from having not been used a lot recently, and maybe a bit tight because he's been hunching his shoulders a lot (a reflex thing I suppose, just needs to get used to standing up straight again - suppose swimming would help with this ). Just the looping thing sounded really weird to me... and seems it may not be exactly accurate. Having consulted a couple of muscular diagrams it seems the chest muscles (pecs) don't cross over the sternum.
Anyway, well see how it goes!
Gemma.

 

[Bunkenmeyer]

Swimming Hard 15 months Post Op

Swimming Hard 15 months Post Op

Not sure if you're still looking for responses but here's my swim experience. I'm 15 months postop (Aortic Root Replacement and Valve Repair). I joined a masters swim program (adult swim team with coach) about six weeks ago. I didn't intentionally wait that long, I was doing other things much earlier but finally got motivated to get back into a more intense program of some sort and masters swimming fit the bill. Here are my impressions so far, my first few weeks I had a little soreness in my chest because I think my sternum is still a little soft, it didn't hurt swimming but I noticed it when I was stretching out before hand. I stretch a little differently now and its not an issue. Since then I've been swimming about 3x a week, approximately 3,000 yards each practice and we go VERY hard. I'm working out as hard as I have in at least 5 years, haven't swum like this since high school (10+ years ago). Occassionally, I get a little worried about how hard I'm pushing it, but I just keep feeling better and better and now as I'm getting faster than others inthe program, the only impact the surgery seems to be having is that it makes me feel even better about what I'm accomplishing. Well, that's my 2 cents....

Regards,
Bunkenmeyer