Aortic Valve Replacement - Training & Rehab

Hello Again Rip,

I posted a question several months ago about the Valsalva and how it might affect my dad's bicuspid aortic valve. Today, my dad had his chest cracked open and had the aortic heart valve replaced with cow tissue. I believe I remember you saying somewhere that you've trained clients who've had open heart surgery. Have you dealt any with aortic valve replacement? I've listened to the podcast on cardiac rehab and enjoyed it (will listen to it again soon - probably tomorrow). I'm in the SSCPC and have been training him on and off for a while now, but I'm not real sure how to proceed from here. He's a pretty fit/active 64yo. Any recommendations?

Thanks,

Ryan

I'm sorry Pater but I don't have a good suggestion for you here. I have not worked with patients/clients who have had their aortic valve replaced. The aortic valve is going to "see" the high pressures generated by the left ventricle as you lift and there is no way around this. As general suggestions I would keep getting the valve checked to see how it's doing and progress workloads extra slowly and cautiously. Hopefully the board will chime in with experience either coaching people or lifting after an aortic valve replacement.

Background

I had the surgery 5 years ago, my surgeon Dr Chen at EMORY St Joseph’s in Atlanta told me I have no limitations. Aortic valve porcine and aortic root replacement Unfortunately I was born with a bicuspid aortic valve and had an aneurysm from training
Prior to finding the aneurysm
Squat low 600
Deads low 700
Bench low 400

Then
I didn’t train for over a year after the surgery, and had been not training for almost 18 years prior to it . I had been training since I was 14 (almost 30 years) prior to them finding that aneurysm in my aortic root. It was the most frustrating thing to live with for 18 years until the aneurysm grew to the point surgery was indicated. Always in the back of my mind and scared to strain and risk rupture. It wasn’t fun

I was 62 at the time of my surgery.

For about a year after the surgery I felt like shit and was breathless with any exertion.

Now

I try to train 3 times a week do squats in the mid 300 lb range bench in the low 200s etc. I lost a lot of strength during two decades of not training but sometimes you have to work with the cards you are delt

I’m alive I’m stronger than most 68 year olds and I’ve had to accept I’m old and just do the best I can

So my advice
have him talk to his surgeon and see what he says
Wait until his sternum is 100 percent 6 months or more he definitely doesn’t want it to crack

And live without fear (this is important )

Hope this helps , I know I was scared and depressed after it until I decided I was given the gift of longer life and I’m going to do the things I want to do

I’ll never win a competition and I’m ok with that, I already won something more important ....life