Mitral Valve Prolapse - Personal Trainer Community - Forum

[BB_PT]

Hi, Has anyone encountered a client with Mitral Valve Prolapse Disorder. If you have, can you give me some guidance on the safest and most effective ways for them to train. For example, using the FITT principal.

Thanks,

Ben TAMPA

[BrianB]

My two cents is if they have MVP I'd get their doctor/cardiologist to tell you what their limitations are in terms of heart rate, etc. Folks with MVP get into a real high heart rate a lot easier than normal folks because their heart is working against itself.

Once you have the letter from their doctor outlining their limitations, then I'd treat them just like anybody else, within those prescribed limits.

[C Lenart]

Just like the last poster suggested, I'd check with the patient's cardiologist or primary MD before beginning any exercise program. Mitral valve prolapse basically means that a cusp/s of the mitral valve is prolapsing or slipping back back into the left atria when the valve is supposed to be closing. This allows for leaking of blood back in the direction of the left atria instead of going down towards the left ventricle. Patients with Mitral valve prolapse can experience symptoms such as fatigue, palpitations, chest pain, anxiety, and migraine headaches. Stroke is a very rare complication of mitral valve prolapse.

Fatigue is the most common complaint, although the reason for fatigue is not understood. Patients with mitral valve prolapse may have imbalances in their autonomic nervous system, which regulates heart rate and breathing. Such imbalances may cause inadequate blood oxygen delivery to the working muscles during exercise, thereby causing fatigue.

Palpitations are sensations of fast or irregular heart beats. In most patients with mitral valve prolapse, palpitations are harmless. In very rare cases, potentially serious heart rhythm abnormalities may underlie palpitations which require further evaluation and treatment.


http://www.medicinenet.com/mitral_va...apse/page2.htm

With this in mind, I'd go with an aerobic exercise program that emphasizes low intensity (3-6METS) or 40% of VO2 max, maybe 2-3 days a week, 20-30 minutes a session that is APPROVED by the patient's physician in advance. Depending on the degree of the prolapse, the exercise program can be modified depending on how well the patient tolerates the training.

In addition, ACSM indicates that patients with known cardiovascular or pulmonary disease are considered high risk and medical supervision should be present during submaximal exercise testing.

Curt
ACSM Health/Fitness Instructor