PT & Getting Back To Being Active

[Eric]

I'm now 8 days post op - replaced my ascending aorta and left my BAV in because it looks good for now. I'm normally very active - beach volleyball, freedive, basketball, lift at the gym (light weights ever since I found out about my condition 10 months ago). Do you recommend PT, for how long and when did you get back to your normal activities?

FYI, I'm the type who will always look at myself knowing timeframes are for the "average" person. For example, my surgery was last Monday and they let me walk out of the hospital Thursday morning, three days later, with my buddies at my side. They handed me a list of things I can/can't do with timeframes.

For the active people who were in good shape pre-surgery, what has your recovery experience been like?

[BillCobit]

For the active people who were in good shape pre-surgery, what has your recovery experience been like?

Hi Eric

I had a different procedure, but I suppose that overall physical trauma of surgery is similar.

I was active right up to the point of surgery (running, swimming, etc.) It took me about 8 weeks before I did some very slow jogging and light workouts in the gym with weights and machines. Initially, I just focused on range of motion.

After two months, I was pretty good for walking around and staying awake all day. It was about 7-8 months before I felt good doing any significant cardio exercise, and a full year before I felt like I had everything behind me. I could feel my sternotomy for 8-9 months doing resistance training.

If you're in shape going into surgery, aren't overweight, etc, I believe you are at an advantage. Still, it takes a while to replace red blood cells and have your heart and sternum heal. It gets repeated a lot on these forums, but it's good advice - go slowly and listen to your body.

Hope you have a smooth recovery.

Regards

[msiwik]

I'm normally very active - beach volleyball, freedive, basketball, lift at the gym (light weights ever since I found out about my condition 10 months ago). Do you recommend PT, for how long and when did you get back to your normal activities?

FYI, I'm the type who will always look at myself knowing timeframes are for the "average" person. For example, my surgery was last Monday and they let me walk out of the hospital Thursday morning, three days later, with my buddies at my side. They handed me a list of things I can/can't do with timeframes.

For the active people who were in good shape pre-surgery, what has your recovery experience been like?

Eric - they are several of us here who were fortunate enough to be very athletic prior to surgery. I ran two very good half marathons (at least by my standards) within 30 days of my open heart surgery for valve replacement. Like Bill - my operation was different than yours and us "open heart" patients have to deal with reduced ejection fraction, which doesn't sound the case with you. There isn't much literature or information for athletes recovering from heart surgery. Bill - said it well - all I can add is pace yourself and give yourself a year to get back to normal. Good luck!

[LLJ]

I tell my patients all the same thing. It doesn't matter who you are, how athletic you are or how determined you are: the body needs time to heal. Bone takes less time to heal than soft tissue. Red blood cell counts need to increase. Being on a heart lung bypass machine is hard on the human body. The wonder and the downfall of modern medicine is how "easy" major procedures are now, and how it makes us forget just how much work was done on our insides. The sternum shouldn't be challenged for 6-8 weeks. Remember it is always a cost/benefit ratio. Factor in the typical athletic mind set of "I'm different" and then make a choice. (I was one of those very athletic people my whole life and thought I would sail through surgery and recovery-it was a whole lot harder than I thought)
Eric, for you physical therapy is a must. Find a good one. I was lucky to have a cycling pal who was a cardiac rehab nurse who guided me through my brief stint in cardiac rehab. In this case it will matter that you had been used to a higher level of activity prior to surgery and you will need a qualified rehab person to know how to structure your rehab.
Good luck, you sound great!!!
Laura

[Karlynn]

I tell my patients all the same thing. It doesn't matter who you are, how athletic you are or how determined you are: the body needs time to heal. Bone takes less time to heal than soft tissue. Red blood cell counts need to increase.

Amen

If anything, the fact that our athletically inclined members tend to feel better faster is a hinderance in the recovery process, in some ways. There are things that you just shouldn't do regardless of how good you feel, until your body heals. Make sure you follow those time lines or you could very well end up with complications.

The freediver's bones and tissues don't heal any more quickly than the bookworm's. :)

PT or cardiac therapy is a great idea.

[JimL]

"For example, my surgery was last Monday and they let me walk out of the hospital Thursday morning, three days later, with my buddies at my side."
I'm amazed! The day before I was released, I was allowed to walk from one end of the hospital to the other and back (to get a badge made up), but the day I was released I had to have a wheelchair to keep their rules. I'm amazed they let you walk out!

[Eric]

From what I'm hearing from the responses, is take it easy, listen to my bod and do PT. I guess I just have to accept that my body will take time to recover from the event, regardless of what my mind wants.

I'll go to PT and take it from there.

Jim, as for me walking out of the hospital, at the time I didn't know it was hospital policy for me to be wheeled out in a wheelchair. I was just sitting around with my buddies after getting discharge instructions from the nurse. They told me a wheelchair was on its way and I said: "no thanks...really don't need one", then walked out and across the street to Jerry's Deli to have lunch with my buddies. I was tired and ready for a nap when I got home and I've been napping and walking ever since.

[geebee]

Jerry's Deli - YUMMM!!! Sounds like a great way to end a hospital stay to me. The only better one would have been Brent's deli in the valley.

Good luck with your PT.

[msiwik]

From what I'm hearing from the responses, is take it easy, listen to my bod and do PT. I guess I just have to accept that my body will take time to recover from the event, regardless of what my mind wants.

I'll go to PT and take it from there.

Jim, as for me walking out of the hospital, at the time I didn't know it was hospital policy for me to be wheeled out in a wheelchair. I was just sitting around with my buddies after getting discharge instructions from the nurse. They told me a wheelchair was on its way and I said: "no thanks...really don't need one", then walked out and across the street to Jerry's Deli to have lunch with my buddies. I was tired and ready for a nap when I got home and I've been napping and walking ever since.

Eric - we are about the same age. I was ready to go on the third day too - at the last minute, was held over to the fourth day to run another test on my ejection fraction and I remember laughing about the need for a wheelchair when leaving.

Definitely walk - for the first six weeks after release, I averaged about 25 miles a week - one week getting as much as 35 which was probably too much. Interesting that they left the valve alone - you will have to keep us updated on that as time progresses.%

An exercise physiologist is also another option - that interaction as well as this website has been my best source of information. I would take these in stages - get through the next 6 weeks. Laura is right - it takes 6 weeks for the sternum to heal and 8 weeks to be absolutely sure that it's rock solid.

When you hit the six week mark, you can create a plan with your PT and/or exercise physiologist for the balance of the recovery period which everyone says for valve patients is a year - assuming it will be the same for you even though you have your original valve. There is a difference with the focus on the aorta and I don't know enough about to comment on recovery.

If you can, keep us posted. Many of us athletes are learning from each other because each of us are little islands in our respective spheres and there are no articles/books to go and read about coming back athletically from open heart. You can overdo things as I learned the hard way from running as much as 10 to 13 miles within 12 to 13 weeks post-surgery. I literally went from being told I could run 3 minutes at a time to running 13 miles 5 weeks later. Too much - too fast for reasons unrelated to my heart - the surgery just takes a lot of you and your body will need to time heal regardless of your mental toughness.

I can tell you that one way I cope is telling myself that my running is like being given a chance to start all over but this time with the knowledge and experience that I didn't have when I started endurance running five years ago.

[ar bee]

http://www.valvereplacement.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12491

[MarkU]

Just to add my experience, for what it's worth:

I was a five-day-a-week gym rat in good shape prior to my AVR. I got through my AVR without any problems: I was standing up that night and walking the next morning.
My surgeon basically told me the PT program at the hospital would be a waste of my time since it was structured for 75 year-old patients in relatively poor physical condition.
He just told me to walk as much as I could and go back to the gym when I felt like it (but with no heavy weights and a 50/50 split between aerobic and strength training.)
I was back in the gym about 10-12 weeks after my surgery doing circuit training and 30min to an hour on the stationary bike or treadmill.
Did my first sprint triathlon 36 months after surgery, but probably could have done it a year earlier if I had trained for it specifically. Haven't looked back since. In spite of my surgery, I'm in better shape than just about all of my "healthy" 50-year-old friends.
I do think that the experience of going through AVR has helped me be more aware and in-tune with my physical condition. I definitely feel that my athletic limitations are due to age (i.e., joints) and lack of talent rather than anything cardiovascular.
Mark

[Georgia]

I started cardiac rehab at 3 weeks post-op - from what others say, that's pretty early. I think that if you're antsy about not doing much, ask your cardio if you can start rehab that early. I'd think it'd be great for you - and since you're monitored, you can exercise as hard as you want until they tell you to stop (or slow down).

Glad you're feeling good. Don't be surprised by down days.

[Arpy]

Eric

Sounds like you came out of it pretty well - and the only thing you need to worry about is dont overdo it. I walked and walked until I was allowed to ride and pretty well havent stopped riding since. I am definately fitter than I have been for many years and like MarkU says " I'm in better shape than just about all of my "healthy" 50-year-old friends." I can mirror that statement with all of my "nearing 40" friends. The self awareness following the surgery is, to me, the most significant realisation. Ultimately listen to your body when your mind tells you you are ten foot tall and bullet proof!!!

As an indication of my recovery (Nov 17 2004 AVR) I averaged : Week1 - 2.5km/day, week 2 - 4km/day, week3 - 5km/day, week4 - 7km/day, ditto for week 5 and then got the OK [from surgeon]to ride/cycle. The walking tailed off and I concentrated on riding which then became my means of transport to and from work. I now ride most weekdays at around 25 - 40km and have clocked over 4000 km in 9 months.

I have begun running (outdated means of transport!!!), soon to start swimming with the aim of competing in several sprint triathlons this summer - having been inspired by the people here.

So good luck mate with your recovery and we will look forward to hearing of your progress.

regards


Russell

[Eric]

Eric - we are about the same age. I was ready to go on the third day too - at the last minute, was held over to the fourth day to run another test on my ejection fraction and I remember laughing about the need for a wheelchair when leaving.

Definitely walk - for the first six weeks after release, I averaged about 25 miles a week - one week getting as much as 35 which was probably too much. Interesting that they left the valve alone - you will have to keep us updated on that as time progresses.%

An exercise physiologist is also another option - that interaction as well as this website has been my best source of information. I would take these in stages - get through the next 6 weeks. Laura is right - it takes 6 weeks for the sternum to heal and 8 weeks to be absolutely sure that it's rock solid.

When you hit the six week mark, you can create a plan with your PT and/or exercise physiologist for the balance of the recovery period which everyone says for valve patients is a year - assuming it will be the same for you even though you have your original valve. There is a difference with the focus on the aorta and I don't know enough about to comment on recovery.

If you can, keep us posted. Many of us athletes are learning from each other because each of us are little islands in our respective spheres and there are no articles/books to go and read about coming back athletically from open heart. You can overdo things as I learned the hard way from running as much as 10 to 13 miles within 12 to 13 weeks post-surgery. I literally went from being told I could run 3 minutes at a time to running 13 miles 5 weeks later. Too much - too fast for reasons unrelated to my heart - the surgery just takes a lot of you and your body will need to time heal regardless of your mental toughness.

I can tell you that one way I cope is telling myself that my running is like being given a chance to start all over but this time with the knowledge and experience that I didn't have when I started endurance running five years ago.

Mark,

I'm going to learn from you and listen to my body...and my PT and my cardio, even though I'm anxious to get out there.

[Eric]

Eric

Sounds like you came out of it pretty well - and the only thing you need to worry about is dont overdo it. I walked and walked until I was allowed to ride and pretty well havent stopped riding since. I am definately fitter than I have been for many years and like MarkU says " I'm in better shape than just about all of my "healthy" 50-year-old friends." I can mirror that statement with all of my "nearing 40" friends. The self awareness following the surgery is, to me, the most significant realisation. Ultimately listen to your body when your mind tells you you are ten foot tall and bullet proof!!!

As an indication of my recovery (Nov 17 2004 AVR) I averaged : Week1 - 2.5km/day, week 2 - 4km/day, week3 - 5km/day, week4 - 7km/day, ditto for week 5 and then got the OK [from surgeon]to ride/cycle. The walking tailed off and I concentrated on riding which then became my means of transport to and from work. I now ride most weekdays at around 25 - 40km and have clocked over 4000 km in 9 months.

I have begun running (outdated means of transport!!!), soon to start swimming with the aim of competing in several sprint triathlons this summer - having been inspired by the people here.

So good luck mate with your recovery and we will look forward to hearing of your progress.

regards


Russell

Russell,

I can't wait to start swimming. Thanks for your thoughts...I'm off to take a 30 minute walk, which I do three times a day now. I'm getting walked-out, but that's all I can do now.

Eric

[Eric]

Just to add my experience, for what it's worth:

I was a five-day-a-week gym rat in good shape prior to my AVR. I got through my AVR without any problems: I was standing up that night and walking the next morning.
My surgeon basically told me the PT program at the hospital would be a waste of my time since it was structured for 75 year-old patients in relatively poor physical condition.
He just told me to walk as much as I could and go back to the gym when I felt like it (but with no heavy weights and a 50/50 split between aerobic and strength training.)
I was back in the gym about 10-12 weeks after my surgery doing circuit training and 30min to an hour on the stationary bike or treadmill.
Did my first sprint triathlon 36 months after surgery, but probably could have done it a year earlier if I had trained for it specifically. Haven't looked back since. In spite of my surgery, I'm in better shape than just about all of my "healthy" 50-year-old friends.
I do think that the experience of going through AVR has helped me be more aware and in-tune with my physical condition. I definitely feel that my athletic limitations are due to age (i.e., joints) and lack of talent rather than anything cardiovascular.
Mark

Mark,

Like you I'm going to try to make it to the gym in the same timeframe that you made it...We'll see.

Eric