Bicuspid Valve and Basketball

[arokisbobcat]

A question for the cardiologists and doctors of the Cleveland Clinic:

For an individual with Bicuspid Aortic Valve, would you limit restrictions on playing basketball?  My cardiologist has given me the green light to continue playing basketball twice a week and flag football despite having this condition.

I am curious though of an experts advice about this and how the physical demands of basketball may help and/or hinder a person that has BAV.  I would think that since it doesn't have a strong isometric component such as wrestling or weightlifting that it would be benefecial.  But I am curious to an experts opinion.

I also wanted to ask particularly about weightlifting.  I have been told by my cardiologists to engage in no heavy weightlifting.  They have both agreed that weights I can lift 10 reps are ideal for me.  I have some questions surrounding this:

Is it the excessive straining and/or the valsalva maneuver from heavy lifting that causes the valve to deteriorate and puts you at risk for aneurysm?  If so then it wouln't necessarily be the weight of the load being lifted?

And if this is the case then wouldn't it be safe to lift heavier weights with the caveat that you can't do the valsalva maneuver, no excessive straining, and able to complete each lift in 1.5s for example?

I'm just trying to gauge how I can still gain strength without putting my cardiovascular system at risk.  Or if this is possible?

More specifics about myself:

- Grade 3 diastolic blowing murmur
- Grade 1 short systolic ejection murmur
- No enlargement of thyroid gland or liver; chest and adbomen both cleared
- Blood tests indicate nothing out of range except slightly high LDL at 103
- 45% ejection fraction; aortic root 3.7cm
- no symptoms of pain