This has probably been covered before, but how soon is it advised after ohs for people to use the stairs? I'm sure it depends on an individual's condition and their quickness at recovery. Common sense (which I don't always follow) says that the risk of fall would prohibit any early attempts at using the stairs unassisted. I ask because my bedroom, office (and computers), treadmill, and most indoors entertainment are upstairs in my house.
How soon to use stairs?
- Thread starter JiminMI
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Hi JiminMI,
Before you leave hospital they should have made you walk up and down a set of stairs. The trick is NOT to pull on the bannister and to take baby steps up and down carefully i.e. one foot down (or up) then next foot to same step. As long as you are careful you should have no problems. My bedroom is up two flights from my basement and I navigated that every day after getting home from the hospital at 2 weeks post surgery.
Cameron
Before you leave hospital they should have made you walk up and down a set of stairs. The trick is NOT to pull on the bannister and to take baby steps up and down carefully i.e. one foot down (or up) then next foot to same step. As long as you are careful you should have no problems. My bedroom is up two flights from my basement and I navigated that every day after getting home from the hospital at 2 weeks post surgery.
Cameron
Jkm7
Well-known member
I've had two OHS, four years apart, both were at Mass General and both times I had to walk a full flight of stairs before I was permitted to go home.
I had no limitations on how many times a day to walk them...... it was 'as tolerated'. I went up and down a number of times each day from my first day home both times with no problem.
Go slowly and as advised above do NOT pull yourself up with the handrail. Lightly hold the rail only for balance. I was encouraged to walk them in the normal pattern of one foot after the other without stepping onto a stair and then pulling the other foot up. They wanted me taking normal steps.
I had no limitations on how many times a day to walk them...... it was 'as tolerated'. I went up and down a number of times each day from my first day home both times with no problem.
Go slowly and as advised above do NOT pull yourself up with the handrail. Lightly hold the rail only for balance. I was encouraged to walk them in the normal pattern of one foot after the other without stepping onto a stair and then pulling the other foot up. They wanted me taking normal steps.
JimL
Well-known member
I was warned to take the stairs carefully, or not at all. It was one of the many warnings given me as if I were a CABG patient, instead of a valve patient. So the first time I went down to my basement office, I went very carefully, and brought along something to drink, and the urinal, since the bathrooms are upstairs. One thing led to another, I was enjoying being home and on the computer again, and I needed to go upstairs for something. The next thing I knew, I was at the top of the stairs, and realized that I'd taken them two at a time, like always. So much for worrying about the stairs. The situation is much different for those who have had veins stripped from their legs. What is said about care and caution is certainly worth paying attention to. You definitely don't want to damage the sternum.
They had me practice with stair before I left the hospital. Having said that, I live in a split foyer home, and I made too many trips up and down following surgery.
Next time, I will limit myself to one trip per day.
Next time, I will limit myself to one trip per day.
Justin was always told the same thing, don't pull your self up on the banister, but just try to walk steps normally. We have a bi level house and for his last few surgeries, his bedroom, our family room (with reclners) and a bath are downstairs, but he came up stairs to eat, and since from the front door you go right down some steps or right up steps, he went up and down to go outside for his walks around the block.
His last surgery, he had the bypass machine hooked up at his groin area (where they do caths) so had a 3-4 inch incision there that made that leg a little stiff and sore, but he just walked a little slower at first going up and down the steps.
Jim, I can only speak for myself but I had no problem with stairs. Bending over to pick things up off the floor was another issue but not stairs. Avoiding use of the upper body muscles was the challenge for me. You will just need to be sensible and do things deliberately for a while.
Before you leave the hospital, you will walk several times a day. It seemed to me that walking made a big difference in how I felt and it left me with pretty good sense of what I could do. With the new valve, my legs felt strong. Those first few days, it was possible to become tired pretty easily but with more activity that began to pass pretty quickly. It may not be wise to race up the stairs but they will probably not be a problem.
Larry
Before you leave the hospital, you will walk several times a day. It seemed to me that walking made a big difference in how I felt and it left me with pretty good sense of what I could do. With the new valve, my legs felt strong. Those first few days, it was possible to become tired pretty easily but with more activity that began to pass pretty quickly. It may not be wise to race up the stairs but they will probably not be a problem.
Larry
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I was home in three days after both surgeries, and like JKM7 and JimL, I had no problem with stairs, and basically forgot to think about them after the first day. However, neither hospital had me practice stairs or put any limitation on them. I went down and up one set at RWJUH, but they were just interested in watching my heart monitor as I did it. (Note: I didn't require a CABG procedure.)
Each person is different, and each operation can be different. If you had any trouble with stairs before, you will have more after surgery. Like Mentu, I did have trouble bending over to pick things up or to tie my shoes.
Best wishes,
Each person is different, and each operation can be different. If you had any trouble with stairs before, you will have more after surgery. Like Mentu, I did have trouble bending over to pick things up or to tie my shoes.
Best wishes,
The hospital did not require me to do any stair work. Just laps around the floors. They did ask if I had to deal with stairs at home and if I would need help there. We just have a few steps from the front porch so that was not a problem. In fact, rehab is helping with the stairs because my knee is getting back in shape.
karen14
Well-known member
Hi! The hospital made me walk a flight of stairs before leaving hospital. Especially since I had to do stairs to get to my bedroom in my apartment. Good luck to you in your recovery! Luv, ~Karen
Got home on day 9 and immediately started negotiating stairs. Our house is on a very steep incline and there are stairs everywhere. In the garden, to get to the pool, to get to the garden shed, in the house (3 storeys)! Never had a problem provided I took it slowly and one stair at a time...Had 1 CABG but that wound never bothered me and healed within days, very lucky that way.
Nicholas288
Well-known member
Same as everyone else. I was asked to walk stairs before my release. They never were and issue and I never thought about them when I got home.
NIck
NIck
