Exercise/Stretching

[fabyan64]

I think the sooner an OHS patient gets busy with stretching and exercise the sooner they will be more mobile, comfortable and not have to walk around so long with their shoulders pulled together.

In Europe, at least in the early '90s, they started with stretching and exercise within hours of leaving ICU - I would imagine the patient's general fitness level would have some bearing on how soon this can begin, but in my opinion, it allowed me to walk out of the hospital after 6 days with the same posture I had upon arrival at the hospital.

St. Luke's (sugery) in Houston seems to have a discharge program for heart patient's, but I was not there long enough to take advantage of it, and can't say for sure what they offered. However, even with the incredible care I received there and at the Methodist Hospital (cath), nobody 'told' me it was time to get out of bed; they asked me to let them know when I was ready. This is just another area where I think more active participation from the hospital stall (if allowed, I don't know) can benefit a patient, get them ready to leave the hospital sooner, and save money all around.

What has been your experience in the last 5-10 years?

Thanks,
Roderick

 

[BigOwl]

Roderick: your questions are paralleling my own today (I was wondering about the pillows and exercise both when I logged on this morning).

I'm not having much trouble standing up straight because it feels so much better to do so, but I'd love some suggestions for stretching exercises for my shoulders and back.

 

[JeffM]

I was not given any stretching exercises per se. I was, however, told to start walking immediately the day after surgery. And was encouraged to walk as much as I could each day thereafter. I was doing laps around the cardiology wing with my IV cart and no one told me I should stop. I went home on day 3 with lots of instructions on how to exercise and with limitations but nothing about stretching. I'm not sure I understand what you would stretch other than your neck and maybe some gentle shoulder shrugs. I sure can't see advising someone to stretch they're pectoral muscles until after a good 6 weeks.

 

[BigOwl]

I was just wondering if anybody had any special tricks that would help stretch out back muscles better than just shoulder shrugs. I finally went up and sat in my Homedics shiatsu massage chair insert and let that work on me for about 15 minutes and I was completely pain free with few meds after that. I'll probably do it before bed.

The walking-in-the-hospital thing works magic. I first learned it 30 years ago after c/sections, but then learned from the CABG how vital it is after heart surgery. At Baylor they have dedicated walking lanes on each floor with hand rails. The guy who had a CABG at the same time I had my AVR kept telling people we were training for a race before we left.

 

[lilteach3234]

I think the sooner an OHS patient gets busy with stretching and exercise the sooner they will be more mobile, comfortable and not have to walk around so long with their shoulders pulled together.

In Europe, at least in the early '90s, they started with stretching and exercise within hours of leaving ICU - I would imagine the patient's general fitness level would have some bearing on how soon this can begin, but in my opinion, it allowed me to walk out of the hospital after 6 days with the same posture I had upon arrival at the hospital.

St. Luke's (sugery) in Houston seems to have a discharge program for heart patient's, but I was not there long enough to take advantage of it, and can't say for sure what they offered. However, even with the incredible care I received there and at the Methodist Hospital (cath), nobody 'told' me it was time to get out of bed; they asked me to let them know when I was ready. This is just another area where I think more active participation from the hospital stall (if allowed, I don't know) can benefit a patient, get them ready to leave the hospital sooner, and save money all around.

What has been your experience in the last 5-10 years?

Thanks,
Roderick

I am a St. Luke's patient and ended up being in CV ICU longer than anticipated, but they had me up and sitting in the bed and using my spirometer as soon as I could in the main ICU. When the neck tube came out they stepped me down and then had me up eating my meals and sitting up in the bed. My last step down I was out of the bed and walking. Even though I had to be in ICU longer than most, I walked out with the same posture as I did going in. My St. Luke's surgeon has most people walking one mile in the hospital before he will discharge.

Former first Lady Bush was operated on at at Methodist Hospital (right next door to St. Luke's) and she was up and walking as soon as possible.

St. Luke's was very adamant about their patients being up and moving. I began with fever which pushed me back from discharging one day earlier, so they sent OT and PT to me so I had exercises going. They didn't want me walking with fever so they made sure I was doing something sitting up.

I begin cardiac rehab at St. Luke's next week. I went to visit the faciity last week and was in awe of the beautiful facility, the view from the 11th floor that I'll get to look at while exercising, and the top notch care I'll receive in rehab!

This is one time I am glad to be a Houstonian!

 

[lilteach3234]

I think the sooner an OHS patient gets busy with stretching and exercise the sooner they will be more mobile, comfortable and not have to walk around so long with their shoulders pulled together.

In Europe, at least in the early '90s, they started with stretching and exercise within hours of leaving ICU - I would imagine the patient's general fitness level would have some bearing on how soon this can begin, but in my opinion, it allowed me to walk out of the hospital after 6 days with the same posture I had upon arrival at the hospital.

St. Luke's (sugery) in Houston seems to have a discharge program for heart patient's, but I was not there long enough to take advantage of it, and can't say for sure what they offered. However, even with the incredible care I received there and at the Methodist Hospital (cath), nobody 'told' me it was time to get out of bed; they asked me to let them know when I was ready. This is just another area where I think more active participation from the hospital stall (if allowed, I don't know) can benefit a patient, get them ready to leave the hospital sooner, and save money all around.

What has been your experience in the last 5-10 years?

Thanks,
Roderick

I guess you could consider the exercises the OT and PT gave me might be some stretching. They had me doing things to keep me legs active and limber and things for my arms to help since I could not raise them above my head and to help me with my pacemaker site so it didn't get sore.

 

[ChouDoufu]

I was just wondering if anybody had any special tricks

back pain was the worst for me, found this helped. shoulder shrugs are fine, but they
don't get at the hot butter knife jammed into the center of your back. you're still 'fresh'
so you have to try to isolate your muscles. don't want this to pull on your sternum.

standing or sitting both works. put your elbows to your sides, clasp your
hands over your tummy. lower your shoulders as much as you can without
putting too much pressure on the top of your incision.

squeeze the bottom of your shoulder blades gently, like you're trying to
pick up a banana (or fruit of your preference) between your shoulder blades.

gently squeeze that banana. it'll hurt a little. let off the pressure.
squeeze again. repeat this several times. after 3 or 4 tries, you
should find the pain has lessened (or gone away) when you relax.

once you've mastered this, you can start stretching upwards.

to do this, first pinch your banana. hold it tight, and gently lift your
shoulder blades. same deal, do it several times. will be a little painful
at first, but as you stretch out, the pain goes away.

 

[ccummins]

I'm with you. I think everyone understands that walking is a huge benefit. But there is that time between getting out of the hospital and cardiac rehab where I am unsure what I can do. Walking and keeping my HR under 100 ... easy. I'm going over 6 miles a day. But I would LOVE to do some stretches. I was given no instructions or go aheads. If anyone has any good stretches for the back, it would be really appreciated. I think it is just frustrating for all of us ... at least me. We all recover so differently. And I would love nothing better then to have a sheet of paper saying, "you are at week 5 and this is what you should be doing". Kind of like those "What to expect when you're expecting" books.

 

[lilteach3234]

Books would be nice telling us what to expect, but I guess everyone is so different it would have hard to have such a thing. I did get a book telling me how far I should be doing my walking each day, but not much else besides do's and dont's.

If I get anything good ar cardia rehab next week I will share.

 

[ccummins]

If I get anything good ar cardia rehab next week I will share.[/QUOTE]
Great idea. Thanks! I have my stress test on Monday but won't get my OK for rehab until I see my cardio on May 1. I will post advice that I get as well.

 

[terodac]

I think you are right! But exercise was the last thing on my mind after surgery! Although I did not exercise before surgery so after was really hard for me and I still have to force myself to walk. I do love a massage! Now that I don't drink and party at all I love to spend my money on a massage, it makes you feel so much better!

 

[ALCapshaw2]

I was just wondering if anybody had any special tricks that would help stretch out back muscles better than just shoulder shrugs. I finally went up and sat in my Homedics shiatsu massage chair insert and let that work on me for about 15 minutes and I was completely pain free with few meds after that. I'll probably do it before bed.

I found that MASSAGE worked Much Better and Faster than Pain Meds (or stretches) at relieving INTENSE Back Muscle Pain in minutes. My S.O. would run a Vibrating Disk Massager (2.5 inch diameter) up and down the long muscle(s) of my back which loosened them up quickly.

 

[BigOwl]

back pain was the worst for me, found this helped. shoulder shrugs are fine, but they
don't get at the hot butter knife jammed into the center of your back. you're still 'fresh'
so you have to try to isolate your muscles. don't want this to pull on your sternum.

standing or sitting both works. put your elbows to your sides, clasp your
hands over your tummy. lower your shoulders as much as you can without
putting too much pressure on the top of your incision.

squeeze the bottom of your shoulder blades gently, like you're trying to
pick up a banana (or fruit of your preference) between your shoulder blades.

gently squeeze that banana. it'll hurt a little. let off the pressure.
squeeze again. repeat this several times. after 3 or 4 tries, you
should find the pain has lessened (or gone away) when you relax.

once you've mastered this, you can start stretching upwards.

to do this, first pinch your banana. hold it tight, and gently lift your
shoulder blades. same deal, do it several times. will be a little painful
at first, but as you stretch out, the pain goes away.

Chou, this is wonderful! I started thinking yesterday about digging out the Tai Chi video, but this is even better for now. And Al, I spent 15 minutes twice yesterday and then again this morning sitting in my Homedics shiatsu massage therapy chair insert. There's a rolling motion up and down the spine (adjustable to width), and a shiatsu-like (although not very like) circular rolling motion up and down the back. It worked wonders yesterday, so I'm going to make more time for it in the interim between now and rehab. Mine only cost about 100 bucks, but there are newer models that go further up the spine and some have a heat element, too. Since the last time I had a massage it cost me about the same amount of money, mine has paid for itself a few times over (although, again, it's not really much like the real thing). I also have to walk upstairs to sit on it, which gives me that extra dimension of exercise I'm otherwise reluctant to pursue.

 

[bookjp]

At the hospital I was at(UofM Ann Arbor) the second or third day they showed me how rolling your shoulders and streaching your arms to the side and above your hand would help you from hunching over when you walked.They also were good about reminding you to walk with your shoulders back to keep from hunching over.

 

[bookjp]

That last post should read above your head not hand.Must be the pump head typing.Cheers!!!

 

[tobagotwo]

Posture is just like your mom said: keep your back straight and your head up. That helps you to breathe properly as well.

Avoid making that "C" curve in the recliner. Keep your back straight so you breathe full breaths.

As far as stretching, you should start off with very slow movements and not yank yourself around. Don't start a swinging movement that you aren't controlling fully. You don't need an "expert" to tell you what you can do. Listen to your body as you do things, and don't push anything until the rib cage is healed. You can feel when you're doing the right thing, or if you feel you're not in control.

There's no requirement to stay in bed unless you have complications (and maybe not even then). You're not sick. You're healing a wound. You'll need naps, especially at first, but there should be plenty of time for walking in between.

Best wishes,

 

[BigOwl]

Just an added note: the exercise Chou described above worked beautifully. I did the first part three different times today, and it greatly eased my back pain. I hadn't been having trouble standing up straight because it feels so much better to do so than it does to slouch, but my lower back was giving me fits. The "banana squeezer" ameliorated that pain so well that I've been very comfortable, with fewer trips to the narc bottle.

Shieh-shieh, ChouDoufu

 

[abbanabba]

I found a small cushion for my lower back also helped with posture and relieved back pain.

As far as stretches, I kept my arms crossed over my sternum and hands on opposite shoulders when I attempted anything to help prevent damaging myself. I was able to manage some sideways turns (turning the torso from the waist from left to right - gently!) and bends (leaning over to the left or right) which helped with some of the pain. Another one I did was to bend forward and then arch back as far as I could. Once I was about 6 weeks out, then I was able to do more upper back stretches involving shoulders and arms.

I agree with Al Capshaw - massage is also wonderful. If you can have someone massage the areas which are painful and tight, it makes a HUGE difference. I had a fit-ball I sat on so my partner could access my back easily without me needing to lay down.

 

[fabyan64]

Roderick: your questions are paralleling my own today (I was wondering about the pillows and exercise both when I logged on this morning).

I'm not having much trouble standing up straight because it feels so much better to do so, but I'd love some suggestions for stretching exercises for my shoulders and back.

BigOwl, After my 1991 surgery in Switzerland, they had me sit on the edge of a chair, back straight, and slowly reach towards the left front chair leg, then switch to the right front chair let, using the left hand on the left and right hand on the right. From what I can remember this was initially 4-5 stretches, then increased each day to 20 or so, 2-3 times a day. That simple exercise really helped my back and kept my shoulders from being pulled forward. I walked out after 7 days and felt great, had a normal posture, even though my sternum was still a bit sore.

 

[fabyan64]

I am a St. Luke's patient and ended up being in CV ICU longer than anticipated, but they had me up and sitting in the bed and using my spirometer as soon as I could in the main ICU. When the neck tube came out they stepped me down and then had me up eating my meals and sitting up in the bed. My last step down I was out of the bed and walking. Even though I had to be in ICU longer than most, I walked out with the same posture as I did going in. My St. Luke's surgeon has most people walking one mile in the hospital before he will discharge.

Former first Lady Bush was operated on at at Methodist Hospital (right next door to St. Luke's) and she was up and walking as soon as possible.

St. Luke's was very adamant about their patients being up and moving. I began with fever which pushed me back from discharging one day earlier, so they sent OT and PT to me so I had exercises going. They didn't want me walking with fever so they made sure I was doing something sitting up.

I begin cardiac rehab at St. Luke's next week. I went to visit the faciity last week and was in awe of the beautiful facility, the view from the 11th floor that I'll get to look at while exercising, and the top notch care I'll receive in rehab!

This is one time I am glad to be a Houstonian!

I was out before I even got a chance to see the cardiac rehab center. I think they are only open M-F, and I had surgery on Tuesday (3/31), but got to leave Sunday (4/5). I'm sure we would all love to hear what you learn there.

Regards,
Roderick