Yogic postures after valve replacement surgery

[prashantsin]

Hi, I had a Bentall Procedure ( now have a St Judes Mechanical Valve) about 6 months back. I am thinking of starting Yoga exercises that I used to do before my surgery and was wondering if I can do postures like Shoulder stand or Head Stand, Surya Namaskar etc safely? For people who are not aware of these postures, I am putting up links to wikipedia as I couldn't upload pics in the post. Looking forward to read your experiences.

Shoulder Stand : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarvangasana
Surya Namanskar: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surya_Namaskara


Thanks
Prashant

 

[SumoRunner]

I guess no one here is into yoga. I have never done it, but what I see in those pictures looks fairly tame compared to what most people here have done post-op.

 

[dornole]

I can't speak to this from experience as I'm pre-OHS but I do yoga . . . I'm not sure if you've resumed your practice and have been doing other postures? If not, maybe you could start with some of easier / preliminary ones and work back up to inversions. Taking several steps back and mindfully working up seems pretty universal for the runners and the weightlifters in their programs after OHS, and I'd think that would apply to yoga as well.

 

[bahlvarun]

Please avoid all these for atleast first 3 to 6 month's and then start only after talking to ur doctor

 

[jhc1]

I practice, although not as regularly as I should. I had AVR last June, and have up to now avoided inversions. Next time I see the cardio, that will be on my list of questions.

 

[spartangator]

Talk to your doc, for sure, but the general comments seem to say that things are well healed at 6 months so it's hard to see how there'd be issues.

I'm seven years out, and I try to do these poses (unsuccessfully, mostly) without issue. The sternum's plenty strong to hold the positions. Check with your physician, but I'd wager on getting the go-ahead unless there's some other detail not mentioned in the original post.

 

[Lucky13]

You should be fine but listen to your body if you feel something is odd and/or pain you need to stop. I'm almost a year since my OHS and my upper body is still weak but more muscular than structural. I'm pretty active and have not had any issues. I've done just about every type of exercise since. I only stopped heavy weightlifting after my surgery. I should have stopped before but my Cardio did not give me restrictions.