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Running After Heart Valve Surgery: Patient Success Stories

Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Page Last Updated: July 16, 2025

In my humble opinion, developing recovery milestones is a critical, often over-looked, element of heart valve surgery recovery. As patients heal following surgery, many experience perceived or actual heart valve complications. (To learn more about common post-operative complications, click here.)

Man and Woman Running

That said, recovery milestones are tangible signs of progress which counter a lurking thought that most patients feel at some point during recovery. That thought is, “I think something is wrong!” Personally, I developed a series of recovery milestones that I wrote about in a prior blog. So you know, I keep developing these recovery benchmarks even though I had my double heart valve replacement twenty-three months ago.

I am happy to report that I achieved another milestone earlier today. As some of you know, I am currently in Tokyo on a business trip. I awoke to a beautiful day here in Japan – clear skies with the temperature in the high 60’s. I couldn’t resist… I decided it was time to go for a run before my morning meetings. However, this time, I decided to leave my heart rate monitor behind.

I know this may seem trivial – running after heart surgery without a heart monitor.

But, it isn’t. For the past year and a half, I have clung to my heart rate monitor, almost like I clung to my blankie when I was three. It’s really quite amazing to see how my heart rate has changed since my surgery, since entering and graduating cardiac rehab, and then exercising by myself. Running after heart surgery used to cause my heart rate to soar to 180 beats per minute. Now, I’m hovering at around 167 BPM once I hit stride. (FYI, it’s common if your heart rate is a little higher following surgery.)

Anyways, the run this morning was great. There is a sense of liberation that occurred as I huffed and puffed through downtown Tokyo. Granted, I’m not Veronika Meyer climbing Mount Everest following heart valve replacement surgery, but you never know!

Heart Valve Surgery Success Stories

Here are some great patient success stories from running enthusiasts. As you can read in the post, “123 Days After Heart Valve Surgery, Justin Runs a Marathon“, Justin shares an extraordinary story of his return to marathon running.

Marathon Runner After Aortic Valve Replacement Surgery

In the patient success story, “After Ross Procedure, Elisabeth Runs to Support Heart Disease Patients“, Elisabeth chronicles her return to half-marathon running after a Ross Procedure to raise money and awareness to heart disease.

Ross Procedure Patient Recovery from Hospital Bed to Running

Hope this helps you learn more about running after heart surgery!

Keep on tickin!
Adam

Written by Adam Pick
- Patient & Website Founder

Written by Adam Pick - Patient & Website Founder

Adam Pick is a heart valve patient and author of The Patient's Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. In 2006, Adam founded HeartValveSurgery.com to educate and empower patients. This award-winning website has helped over 10 million people fight heart valve disease. Adam has been featured by the American Heart Association and Medical News Today.

David Stumpf says on April 15th, 2014 at 1:46 pm

Adam,
Had my bi-cuspid Aortic valve replaced and aneurysm repaired December 5th, 2013. I did 12 weeks of rehab which consisted of exercising at a heart rate not above 135.
I have tried to start jogging and playing pick up basketball but my heart rate jumps up to 160 so quickly and I feel the need to stop and am unable to keep going.
Riding stationary bike at my current pace I can ride for an hour at 135-140 BPM. I increase the work load(tension) and again the heart rate shoots up and I feel the need to stop.
I sit at a BPM of 60. I get up quickly, walk up the stairs and my heart rate shoots up to 120 and i’m dizzy and winded.
Will the heart rates slow down with time, should i keep slowly pushing myself in basketball and jogging and will it slowly get better where i will be able to jog again.
I purchased your book in hopes of getting info on post surgery exercise and expectations.
Thanks,
David Stumpf 52 YOA