Chest Port and Exercise Concerns

devotion10
devotion10 Member Posts: 623 Member
edited April 3 in Colorectal Cancer #1
has anyone had any concerns about exercising their upper body with the chest port in place? Are there any restrictions to activity?
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Comments

  • nudgie
    nudgie Member Posts: 1,478 Member
    #2
    I was and still am
    a serious exerciser. Before DX I weight lifted 3x a week and did cardio 4-5 times a week. Once DX I had to stop weight lifting because of the port and ostomoy.

    I had a power port inserted under the skin and the information provided to me by my surgeon stated they you should not weight lift, so I didn't and man was it hard getting back to where I was beforehand.

    I would ask your Dr. or surgeon for information on your particular type of port or task them directly what they think.

    Cardio was not an issue.
  • TxKayaker
    TxKayaker Member Posts: 176
    #3
    nudgie said:

    I was and still am
    a serious exerciser. Before DX I weight lifted 3x a week and did cardio 4-5 times a week. Once DX I had to stop weight lifting because of the port and ostomoy.

    I had a power port inserted under the skin and the information provided to me by my surgeon stated they you should not weight lift, so I didn't and man was it hard getting back to where I was beforehand.

    I would ask your Dr. or surgeon for information on your particular type of port or task them directly what they think.

    Cardio was not an issue.

    I also had to stop lifting
    I also had to stop lifting weights because of my port but I had the go ahead from my doctor to continue kayaking.
  • geotina
    geotina Member Posts: 2,111 Member
    #4
    Exercise
    Go to the web site of the the port's manufacturer, they should have something there but I would assume that any weight lifting, pulling would not be a good idea. If you go to a gym, you can ask there, I'm sure you are not the first with a port to ask this stuff.

    George's idea of exercise is navigating the buttons on the remote control.

    Tina
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #5
    Exercise
    I kept on swimming and kayaking with my port in place. Like they say on TV, consult your doctor before starting and exercise regiment...
    ;-)
    -p
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #6
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • Kerry S
    Kerry S Member Posts: 606 Member
    #7
    The only problem I had is
    The only problem I had is they wanted to put it on my right side. When I told them my shotgun could hit it, they agreed to put it on the left side.

    I also kayak with no problem and I lift heavy farm equipment.

    Mine is a power port. They never told me to take it easy with it. It comes out next month.
  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    #8
    Kerry S said:

    The only problem I had is
    The only problem I had is they wanted to put it on my right side. When I told them my shotgun could hit it, they agreed to put it on the left side.

    I also kayak with no problem and I lift heavy farm equipment.

    Mine is a power port. They never told me to take it easy with it. It comes out next month.

    Yeah Kerry!
    Mine came out 3 weeks after my last chemo. Onc got onto me for not having it out sooner but the surgeon didn't have any openings. Over! Done with! GONE! :o)
  • Brenda3.16
    Brenda3.16 Member Posts: 209
    #9
    dianetavegia said:

    Yeah Kerry!
    Mine came out 3 weeks after my last chemo. Onc got onto me for not having it out sooner but the surgeon didn't have any openings. Over! Done with! GONE! :o)

    My doctor never said to
    My doctor never said to restrict exercise because of my port. I got the port in March 09. I don't lift weights, but I do exercise as much as I can. I walk, do yoga, ski and many other activities and have never had any problems with the port.

    Brenda
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #10
    no problems here
    My doctors have never mentioned limiting any exercise with the port. I know when I first got it put in, I was very, very sore across my check, down my shoulder and arm, and up my neck for about 3 months. I don't think most people have that experience, though. I self regulated my activity according to how I felt. In the 2+ years since then, I barely even notice that I have the port in place (except for the ugly bump and being self conscious about it sometimes).

    Lisa
  • lmliess
    lmliess Member Posts: 329
    #11
    lisa42 said:

    no problems here
    My doctors have never mentioned limiting any exercise with the port. I know when I first got it put in, I was very, very sore across my check, down my shoulder and arm, and up my neck for about 3 months. I don't think most people have that experience, though. I self regulated my activity according to how I felt. In the 2+ years since then, I barely even notice that I have the port in place (except for the ugly bump and being self conscious about it sometimes).

    Lisa

    No problem here
    I just started about a month ago lifting again (NOT heavy, just for toning) and I have had no problems. Maybe I should be careful???
  • Love2Cats
    Love2Cats Member Posts: 127
    #12
    Glad you posted this
    I got my port in on January 26th of this year. I started lifting weights about 2 weeks later. So far no problems, but now I am going to do more research.
  • grumpyj420
    grumpyj420 Member Posts: 5
    #13
    chest port concerns

    i may be going to drive a racr car at race driving school within the next couple of months. my concern is that the seat harness will go directly over the top of my port. does anybody have any experience with padding or buffering up around the port to make this comfortable? is it even possible to pull off such an outlandish adventure?

  • beaumontdave
    beaumontdave Member Posts: 1,289 Member
    #14
    I had my port just left of

    I had my port just left of center, below the collar bone, where a regular seat belt would hit it. I worked out, worked hard labor of all sorts, and other than irritating the skin over it a bit, I never had an issue. My onc had a couple of golfers shear the line, it must have had to do with the full, twisting motion of driving a golfball, but that's the only stories I've heard about messing up the port. If pushed on, like a hard stop with a harness on, I would expect bruising at the worst....................................Dave

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #15
    grumpyj420 said:

    chest port concerns

    i may be going to drive a racr car at race driving school within the next couple of months. my concern is that the seat harness will go directly over the top of my port. does anybody have any experience with padding or buffering up around the port to make this comfortable? is it even possible to pull off such an outlandish adventure?

    Bras and seat belts

    My port sat right underneath my bra strap and right under the seat belt, and was uncomfortable. 

    I don't know how dangerous it would be in a race car, probably just uncomfortable. You could ask your surgeon.  You could put some kind of cushioning undre the strap, though nothing that would impede the safty of the belt itself. 

    Good luck and have fun. 

  • grumpyj420
    grumpyj420 Member Posts: 5
    #16
    Trubrit said:

    Bras and seat belts

    My port sat right underneath my bra strap and right under the seat belt, and was uncomfortable. 

    I don't know how dangerous it would be in a race car, probably just uncomfortable. You could ask your surgeon.  You could put some kind of cushioning undre the strap, though nothing that would impede the safty of the belt itself. 

    Good luck and have fun. 

    chest port and exercise concerns

    thanks for the input. i had an idea about a hard foam donut type contraption taped to my chest over the port. still gotta talk to my dr about that.

  • John23
    John23 Member Posts: 2,122 Member
    #17
    grumpyj420 said:

    chest port and exercise concerns

    thanks for the input. i had an idea about a hard foam donut type contraption taped to my chest over the port. still gotta talk to my dr about that.

    Seat belts

    Seat belts

    They are to be worn snug to the body. The fabric is designed to stretch upon impact, and if the belt is not snug against the body it defeats the engineering of the belt.

    Think of a simple bakery box string…. You can pull slowly like all hell and it won’t break, but if you “snap” it, it breaks easily. That’s how a seat belt works. When it’s snug and you’re in an accident, the belt holds you in place and stretches to accommodate the “G” force involved. Any gap between your body and belt will cause it to have that “snap” that will break the belt, the belt fasteners, belt attachments, or your bones and organs.

    In a major head-on collision my wife was a passenger in, her brother (the driver) was thrown from the vehicle, flying like a rag doll almost 50’ from the impact. She remained in the seat, suffering a broken pelvis, hip, and forearm (along with multiple internal injuries and trauma), all seat belt related. Her brother always wore the belt lax, being able to fit his fist between body and belt. My wife wore it more snug, but loose enough to fit her hand between body and belt. Both sustained severe belt injuries from not properly wearing the belt. Wearing the belt likely saved her life, but wearing it improperly is what caused the multiple and severe injuries.

    I have an Ileostomy (and now nephrostomy tubes) and a PICC line. Wearing a seatbelt would cause more injury in a minor accident than worthwhile wearing it. If it’s worn lose enough to not cause injury during normal wear, it would be useless in a major accident, and cause more injury than if not worn at all.

    Please remember to wear it snug against the body, and what is between the belt and your body can become a weapon to you, both directly and indirectly by defeating the engineering of the belt.

    Stay alive while attempting to otherwise stay alive…

    John

    (GAWD, This is an OLD thread! Where have all those people gone?)

    (I hate posting to old threads and wish to all hell that the IT team would lock down the archived data.)

     

  • grumpyj420
    grumpyj420 Member Posts: 5
    #18
    John23 said:

    Seat belts

    Seat belts

    They are to be worn snug to the body. The fabric is designed to stretch upon impact, and if the belt is not snug against the body it defeats the engineering of the belt.

    Think of a simple bakery box string…. You can pull slowly like all hell and it won’t break, but if you “snap” it, it breaks easily. That’s how a seat belt works. When it’s snug and you’re in an accident, the belt holds you in place and stretches to accommodate the “G” force involved. Any gap between your body and belt will cause it to have that “snap” that will break the belt, the belt fasteners, belt attachments, or your bones and organs.

    In a major head-on collision my wife was a passenger in, her brother (the driver) was thrown from the vehicle, flying like a rag doll almost 50’ from the impact. She remained in the seat, suffering a broken pelvis, hip, and forearm (along with multiple internal injuries and trauma), all seat belt related. Her brother always wore the belt lax, being able to fit his fist between body and belt. My wife wore it more snug, but loose enough to fit her hand between body and belt. Both sustained severe belt injuries from not properly wearing the belt. Wearing the belt likely saved her life, but wearing it improperly is what caused the multiple and severe injuries.

    I have an Ileostomy (and now nephrostomy tubes) and a PICC line. Wearing a seatbelt would cause more injury in a minor accident than worthwhile wearing it. If it’s worn lose enough to not cause injury during normal wear, it would be useless in a major accident, and cause more injury than if not worn at all.

    Please remember to wear it snug against the body, and what is between the belt and your body can become a weapon to you, both directly and indirectly by defeating the engineering of the belt.

    Stay alive while attempting to otherwise stay alive…

    John

    (GAWD, This is an OLD thread! Where have all those people gone?)

    (I hate posting to old threads and wish to all hell that the IT team would lock down the archived data.)

     

    chest port and exercise concerns

    so why do you bother? 

  • LivinginNH
    LivinginNH Member Posts: 1,456 Member
    #19
    grumpyj420 said:

    chest port and exercise concerns

    so why do you bother? 

    Wow, that was rude towards

    Wow, that was rude towards John - he's been on this board a long time and gave you some good advice.  You should be thanking him, not insulting him. Try to understand that when people are on this board for years, it hurts to see old friends who have passed, but still he responded to you.

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #20
    grumpyj420 said:

    chest port and exercise concerns

    so why do you bother? 

    Not so gumpy, please

    What John means is, by locking old threads, people, like yourself, can access the information shared, without being able to respond to the actual thread. 

    For many here, as LivinginNH said, seeing the names and faces of the MANY who have passed (several in this thread alone) is a heartache. 

    We would love to see you post an introduction thread here, at the main page  http://csn.cancer.org/forum/128

    It would be great to get to know you, and answer any questions that you may have. And I for one, would love to know how your race car lesson went. It sounds like a ton of fun, to me. 

    Sue - Trubrit

  • grumpyj420
    grumpyj420 Member Posts: 5
    #21
    John23 said:

    Seat belts

    Seat belts

    They are to be worn snug to the body. The fabric is designed to stretch upon impact, and if the belt is not snug against the body it defeats the engineering of the belt.

    Think of a simple bakery box string…. You can pull slowly like all hell and it won’t break, but if you “snap” it, it breaks easily. That’s how a seat belt works. When it’s snug and you’re in an accident, the belt holds you in place and stretches to accommodate the “G” force involved. Any gap between your body and belt will cause it to have that “snap” that will break the belt, the belt fasteners, belt attachments, or your bones and organs.

    In a major head-on collision my wife was a passenger in, her brother (the driver) was thrown from the vehicle, flying like a rag doll almost 50’ from the impact. She remained in the seat, suffering a broken pelvis, hip, and forearm (along with multiple internal injuries and trauma), all seat belt related. Her brother always wore the belt lax, being able to fit his fist between body and belt. My wife wore it more snug, but loose enough to fit her hand between body and belt. Both sustained severe belt injuries from not properly wearing the belt. Wearing the belt likely saved her life, but wearing it improperly is what caused the multiple and severe injuries.

    I have an Ileostomy (and now nephrostomy tubes) and a PICC line. Wearing a seatbelt would cause more injury in a minor accident than worthwhile wearing it. If it’s worn lose enough to not cause injury during normal wear, it would be useless in a major accident, and cause more injury than if not worn at all.

    Please remember to wear it snug against the body, and what is between the belt and your body can become a weapon to you, both directly and indirectly by defeating the engineering of the belt.

    Stay alive while attempting to otherwise stay alive…

    John

    (GAWD, This is an OLD thread! Where have all those people gone?)

    (I hate posting to old threads and wish to all hell that the IT team would lock down the archived data.)

     

    john

    i'm sorry, yeah that was a little rude. he did provide some valuable information, i was just taken aback by his wording. he did provide some good information, it just sounded like he was fed up with these old threads and i was intruding someplace i didn't belong. again, thanks for your help john, i apologize for my rudeness. it won't happen again.

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