Article on Weight restrictions post-surgery and exercise

[big_L]

I stumbled across this looking for more information on lifting restrictions post-surgery. Found it interesting and I thought others might also.

I'm a scientist and I found the 'vagueness' of my restriction to be unsettling (No more than 5 lbs for 6 weeks). Wow - then is 50 lbs OK at six weeks + 1 day? Obviously, this would not be very wise. The information about the force needed to open some doors is interesting.

 

[epstns]

I know what you mean. I carefully watched my lifting in everyday activities for the first couple of months. I was told that the sternum heals to about 80% of full strength at 8 weeks, but since I hadn't really used my chest muscles much for the first couple of months, I was more limited by muscle pain than worry over the bone knitting.

I do remember shifting my "approach" to some doors in order to spread out the force I needed to open them. Funny what we think about and don't think about. . .

 

[jmstallard]

Regarding the 80% strength, my surgeon told me that my sternum will never be quite as strong as it was, but years ago when I broke my radius and ulna, they told me that the bone is actually stronger at the point that it rejoins after a break. What the deuce..?

 

[clay_from_nj]

Regarding the 80% strength, my surgeon told me that my sternum will never be quite as strong as it was, but years ago when I broke my radius and ulna, they told me that the bone is actually stronger at the point that it rejoins after a break. What the deuce..?

Not to mention all that reinforcing wire! Like bone with added rebar.

 

[Heather Anne]

Wow, great article, thanks for posting it! I am starting cardiac rehab this week and I'm already worried that they're going to treat me like I'm made of china. I really want to get back in shape, and if I feel like the rehab folks are babying me I am very likely to quit. Hopefully they have read this article!

 

[clawie1]

Hi Heather Anne,

Don't worry about being handled like a piece of china. As one of my rehab nurses said, "Our job is to get you sweating and in better shape than before before your surgery." Another nurse admitted the HR is important but more important is to listen to your body. One fellow next to me on the treadmill was a rock climber before his surgery and I guess he thought he could really push the incline - wrong! He was taken off the machine and monitored closely by the nurses before he was allowed to leave. So you are encouraged to push yourself but not to the point where you will run into trouble.

BTW Heather Anne, I love the "Nike Run" app you recommended. It's pretty cool when you hear a voice tell you when you've reached 1 mi., etc. Nita