Q on bending over w/ aneurysm

[Catie]

This may be a goofy question but I'm wondering whether there are any concerns with an aortic aneurysm about bending over. I've had a longterm problem with my patellar tendonitis, so it's less painful to bend over than to have to raise up after squatting down. But I'm wondering whether it increases the pressure to do a U-shaped bend. Anybody know?

 

[Ross]

It's not a goofy question. You should not bend over or do anything that is going to increase the pressure on your aorta. At least, don't do it just to do it. Have a real reason for bending over. I just don't want to see you end up like me or worse.

 

[Maryka]

I am fairly double-jointed so bending over from the waist is easy for me (even now with my bad hip). When I had a painful back (all of the year of 2000), I learned that I had a narrowed spot in my lower spine, and leaning forward actually took the pressure off my lower spine and helped with my pain. I also had a 4.7ish ascending aorta aneurysm that stayed stable for almost 20 years (until it was repaired during my AVS). So from my experience, I would say that bending forward from the waist seemed to have no bad effects on my aneurysm. What I did notice was, however, that bending over for more that a couple of minutes would cause the blood to seem to run to my face and cause a noticable pulsating in the blood vessels in my face and head. If I had had a brain aneurysm, I suppose bending over would have been dangerous.

 

[Catie]

Thanks for your input, Ross and Maryka. I was just wondering. Between gardening, cleaning and my small dog, I do a lot of bending over!

 

[Ross]

Bend your knees rather then leaning over. Anything you can do to lessen the pressure on your aorta, the better off you'll be. I had to unload semi trailers and then unpack products. I was twisting, turning, bending, stretching and everything wrong for the state I was in. It nearly cost me my life. Just trying to be as helpful as possible towards you.

 

[Maryka]

I like those little plastic sittable carts on wheels they make for gardening. I also found it handy inside for doing things you might be tempted to bend over to do. (I used one to do some gardening a couple of months ago and the young child next door wanted to fight me in order to use my "toy"! Although the cart is all in a dull gray color, it does look a bit like a toy, ha ha!)

 

[Catie]

Sorry for another long delay in responding. This time my MIL had a stroke. Gosh.

Yeah, I really can't manage the knee thing at the moment with the tendon issue. I've got a kids' chair or even a little stepstool thing I should make more use of. Thanks a lot, Ross & Maryka.

 

[Duff Man]

I feel a weird pressure in my chest when I bend over... and I try to avoid it at all costs.