The aortic, mitral, pulmonary and tricuspid valves are the four valves found in the heart; they open to allow blood flow forward, and close to prevent backward flow. A damaged valve can be replaced with either a mechanical valve created out of man-made material, or a biological one made out of human or animal tissue. Heart valve replacement surgery is a major undertaking, and your ability to engage in post-operative exercises such as running will depend on the method of surgery, your fitness level before surgery and your commitment to rebuilding your exercise tolerance after recovery. Consult your doctor before you resume exercising after surgery.
Types of Heart Valve Replacement Surgery
Heart valve replacement surgery can be done in different ways. A traditional approach where the breast bone is cut open to access the heart may be used. In some institutions, a minimally invasive surgery can be done, where equipment is introduced into the chest through small incisions. The robotic arms of the equipment are controlled by a computer system used by your surgeon. Another option is a percutaneous valve replacement, a non-surgical procedure that uses tubes threaded through the blood vessels into the heart to do the replacement. Compared to the traditional method, the hospital stay and recovery time are substantially less with the less invasive methods, which will impact your chance of resuming running.
Exercising After Valve Replacement
"The Journal of Heart Valve Disease" reported a nine-year study in 1992 that monitored the exercise capability of patients who had had either aortic or pulmonary heart valve replacements. It was noted that patients with aortic valve replacements did better in exercise routines that those who had had mitral valve replacements. Exercise tolerance in both groups increased between one and six months post surgery. Your ability to run after surgery may be affected by the valve you had replaced.
Runners With Heart Valve Replacement
Global Heroes is a program that recognizes long distance runners who require medical devices to function. The list of 2010 heroes includes Erin Howe, Jeremy Woodward and Gregory LaMothe. All three runners have had heart valve replacements and still manage to run marathons. Howe was 32 years old and LaMothe 64 when they became Global Heroes, showing that with adequate care and supervision, age need not hinder you if you want to resume running after valve replacement.
Consideration
Your doctor will work with you to decide which kind of surgery is best for you. Non-traditional replacement methods are not available at every hospital, and the minimally invasive surgery cannot be used on obese patients, those who need more than one valve replaced and those with extensive valve damage. The existence of Global Heroes with heart valve replacements makes it clear that you can resume running after heart valve surgery, as long as you let your health care team guide you. In an interview with the "Dallas Morning News," LaMothe, called "Spareribs" by some, stated that he was slower than before, but still running. He chose a biological heart valve, which will have to be replaced in 10 to 12 years, because it would have been harder for him to run with the longer lasting mechanical valve.
References
- MedlinePlus; Heart Valve Surgery; Shabir Bhimji, MD, PhD; May 17, 2010
- Heart and Stroke Foundation; Heart Valve Surgery; March 2007
- Texas Heart Institute; Valve Repair or Replacement; July 2010
- "The Journal of Heart Valve Disease"; Exercise Tolerance; C. Gohlke-Barwolf, et al.; November 1992
- "The Dallas Morning News"; After Valve Replacement, More Marathons; Debbie Fetterman; Feb. 1, 2011
