Inguinal hernia recovery

[David Finley]

Has anyone had experience with recovery from Inguinal hernia surgery? If so, what is the prognosis for return to gymnastic training?

I am not a gymnast; my strength training consists of body weight training from Building the Gymnastic Body, yoga and some weight training.

Thank you for any insight.

[Philip Papandrea]

Hi,

I had Inguinal hernia surgery in Sept 09. This was done with the mesh. For 6 weeks I didn't do anything at all. After that i started doing some basic bodyweight exercises like pushups and pullups but no ab work. I still felt some pulling in the area so I was cautious. By Jan of this year I started a full on gymnastic bodies program and I haven't had any issues at all. Hope this gives you some hope.

[ASForum]

What causes such Hernia?

[David Finley]

Inguinal hernias occur when soft tissue — usually part of the intestine — protrudes through a weak point or tear in your lower abdominal wall. The resulting bulge can be painful — especially when you cough, bend over or lift a heavy object.

I am not sure exactly how it occurred. It wasn't acute, just felt like my lower abs were sore and then I noticed a bulge.

[David Finley]

Hi,

I had Inguinal hernia surgery in Sept 09. This was done with the mesh. For 6 weeks I didn't do anything at all. After that i started doing some basic bodyweight exercises like pushups and pullups but no ab work. I still felt some pulling in the area so I was cautious. By Jan of this year I started a full on gymnastic bodies program and I haven't had any issues at all. Hope this gives you some hope.

Thanks for the reply Philip

[ASForum]

Inguinal hernias occur when soft tissue — usually part of the intestine — protrudes through a weak point or tear in your lower abdominal wall. The resulting bulge can be painful — especially when you cough, bend over or lift a heavy object.

I am not sure exactly how it occurred. It wasn't acute, just felt like my lower abs were sore and then I noticed a bulge.

My dad has had hernia ops twice. Which is why I am asking in terms of fitness here.. how does one figure out DOs & DONTs in terms of exercise to avoid it.

[Cole Dano]

In general he should really understand the abdominal bracing concept, and pelvic floor activation (aka moola bandha). He should be careful of exercises that raise abdominal pressure until the bracing is strong.

[ASForum]

In general he should really understand the abdominal bracing concept, and pelvic floor activation (aka moola bandha). He should be careful of exercises that raise abdominal pressure until the bracing is strong.

Its been a long time since that happened. He stopped jogging since. Does his walk & daily swimming.

I mean to ask for myself and for any BtGB or Gymnastics / Yoga training person.. what would be good DOs & DONTs?

[Cole Dano]

I got a small hernia about 6 years ago, almost had surgery but the surgeon actually turned me away as it wasn't too large and hadn't changed in size since i got it. I credit this to having developed the ability to keep a tight lower abdomen. The hernia still hasn't changed in size today.

The biggest thing IMHO is to seriously knowing how to brace the lower abdomen. After that building up a built proof core. This is something i'm taking very seriously now, esp after attending the seminar a learning about the body line work.

The thing to avoid is SUDDEN pressure to the abdomen or loads that are too big. Running however should be totally fine for someone who isn't carrying lots of extra weight. If they are then one excellent substitution is a Nordic Ski machine which almost forces lower abdominal protection while simultaneously avoiding the shock loading of running. The progressions of the GB program allow one to work without being in danger of overloading, one must just be sure not to try the next progression unless the ab region is ready to take the next step.

Coach spoke this weekend that the connective tissue actually will thicken with the work we do here, and i believe that giving time for this to happen will protect against hernia. However the affected area will always remain the weak link, and if there are doubts always be a step lower in any progression that creates abdominal pressure.

[ASForum]

Hmm.. I do my yoga for core & back regularly.. Boat, Bow, Supermans etc etc.

Can hold long, steady boat pose with slow deep Ujaii breathing

[Beldor]

Oh Dear,  It looks like I just was diagnosed with Inguinal Hernia by my PC and am being referred to a surgery specialist.
This thread seems all the sudden super relevant.

So I will have to decide between surgery and not surgery- which is what it is.

But, then after that I am still worried that this will be a blockade to BtGB training.

 

 

I followed the BtGB progressions.  During one of my SSC's I felt a strange pain in Inguinal / Groin area.  So, I took 4 weeks of complete rest (no running, no lifting, no nothing)- It was around the holidays anyway so it was very easy to rest.

 

Everything felt fine after that rest.  Then I came back and trained for an entire SSC.  At the end of the SSC, I began max testing.  I completed max tests for the exercises in my SSC.  I felt unusually tight in all my muscles- not limited to abs and groin- but I thought nothing of it.  Then during my regular stretching routine,  i was coming out of a front split stretch (of all things) when I felt the very sudden and immediate pain that prompted me to see a doctor.  The result --> Inguinal Hernia.

 

It seemed to come out of no where.

 

How can i learn from my mistakes?
What things Can I do to prevent this from happening again?  (Obviously wait for my current injury to heal, but i mean like 6 months - 1 year from now)

 

Any insight would be wonderful.

[Daniel Bassett]

I had surgery for inguinal hernia back in 2010. Apparently that small bulge i had when i was kid turned out to be a hernia. I didnt self diagnose it until i was in my 20s despite doctors looking for a source of testicular pain that had been bothering me for years. They put in one mesh for the repair and another preemptive mesh because the other side was supposedly looking pretty weak.

Inguinal hernias are often genetic. I mean i got mine when i was a kid and i wasn't lifting or doing gymnastics. Im cursed with a weak abdominal wall and everytime i exercise or lift even the smallest thing, it's on my mind. Several months ago i lifted something without thinking about it and it caused me chronic pain in that whole area (from lower abdomen, testicular, down into the legs) for 2 months and i still have some pain daily. If you do go for surgery, make sure you find a surgeon that has as many of these operations under their belt as possible, ideally a few hundred. Seriously, this is really important. If possible, find someone that specializes in inguinal hernia repairs. The chronic pain/recurrence rates drastically drop for surgeons with extensive experience with inguinal hernia repairs. Otherwise have the general surgeon perform the operation as theyre typically the ones that deal with inguinal hernia repairs.

If anyone is going into surgery in general you should first read this book http://www.amazon.com/dp/1608198367

Eventually, you should be able to exercise normally. Im just now starting back up with Foundation 1. Im taking it real slow. Im hoping that this will strengthen that whole area and prevent future recurrence, but i think im just cursed with bad genes. My grandfather has had several hernia repairs since his teens, and my aunt had one when she was a baby.

[Daniel Bassett]

Cole,

Any exercise recommendations for abdominal bracing/pelvic floor activations?

[Kevin Conley]

I had my surgery 6 months ago myself. I exercised with a hernia that had not broken out of the 2nd layer at that time, so it didn't buldge yet. Then, it did break ( was coughing at night in a Korean hotel with the air conditioner on super high). I found though, that after the surgery, my strenth coming from my core is SOO much more solid now. From my press handstands to my front levers and planche. It is all stronger.

 

I am now having groin soreness though. It is likely because of the stretching I was doing in yoga. All the connective tissue there takes months to really set.

 

I am not worried about a reoccurance because I already talked about the pain to the surgeon 4 months ago when I got the first bout of it.

 

 

Honestly, I would do the surgery and not worry too much unless the bulge is small and dealable~.  Plus, only children typically get strangulation down there and have it be a medical emergency.

 

 

 

 

Ohhh, and also, DO NOT worry about the surgery interrupting your training!!! I decided to walk an hour everyday until I had the surgery and during the 4 week wait time post-op and went on a diet. I lost 10 pounds of fat and can see my upper abs for the first time in my life.

Then, when I started exercising GST again, everything was so much easier, and now, I am positive I will get the full lays on FL PL and BL this year.

 

Anyway, wait 7-8 weeks before doing GST after surgery, and do general calestenics and such until then. Don't worry about the interruption, since, you will find it wont be so bad. My form is pretty near perfect now vs. before~.

[FREDERIC DUPONT]

(...) I decided to walk an hour everyday until I had the surgery and during the 4 week wait time post-op and went on a diet. I lost 10 pounds of fat and can see my upper abs for the first time in my life (...)

 

That's great! Well done

[Michael Flores]

hey fellow GBers.

I had a nice post written out and then I accidentally hit back on my browser and lost it all... So this is the shorter condensed version.

 

I had Inguinal hernia repair back in mid December of 2012.

I took it easy and layed off exercises for almost 3 months, then about 3 weeks ago i started back with basic calesthenics(wall pushups, assisted squats, etc.).

 

 

I started the foundation 1 program this week after working through the masteries to see where i'm at last week, and i'm on PE1 on all of them with different cycle starting points of 1,5 or 9.

 

Yesterday when I was doing SL/PE1 i felt a pulling/stretching sensation at the area of the hernia repair.  There was no pain, maybe just some discomfort.

 

I know you aren't doctors(or maybe some of you are), but I was just curious from people who have had hernia repair, is this stretching/pulling sensation normal when starting to strengten up your core again?

 

I will say, I started my SL/PE1 progession in the week 5 cycle. Should I start from week one just to play it safe for the SL and/or other progressions in the program that use core muscles?

 

 

 

 

 

[Kevin Conley]

TheLastCareBear,

 

For the record, I am a medical student. However, I am NOT a doctor (for a while), and I do not have expertise in hernia repairs. I have had one though. I had mine in August of 2012. I did extensive research about hernias and recoveries though, and talked to my doctor about them. I also was shown how to do them in the dissection lab by a doctor who did them for 30+ years.

 

Anyway, yeah. That is normal. What is not normal is intense (I mean intense pain), nausea, vomiting, or bleeding in the stool. If you have that, go to the emergency room. That however, is really rare. Even if your doctor had high complication rates (10-13%), which is already rare, you would still rarely get this issue. But I mention it just in case.

 

I actually posted earlier that I am back to doing everything again. I have been too busy to report that I have stopped all lever positions and exercises putting too much intraabdominal pressure on by groin. This stresses out my groin too much and I get dull (referred) pain that really sucks. I have rested the area (so far 3.5 weeks) doing instead, F1, handstands, cardio, presshandstands, and yoga. The pain is finally almost gone.

 

Here are my recommendations, but first: I am again, NOT a doctor. I am giving information from my doctor which was told to ME and MY condition and circumstances. But, in my opinion, after being in clinic, I honestly don't see a reason why the doctor wouldn't tell it to anyone since they follow more guidelines.

 

What I recommend:

Continue doing exercise unless you get pain. Pulling and discomfort is normal, especially in the first year. The doctor said second year would concern him more, and especially after that.

 

I still experience light dull referred pain, but nothing worrisome. I still get some discomfort with some exercises. All normal.

 

Discomfort with no pain may just be what it is and not a more serious sign. But just like a muscle strain, be mindful, but not overly obsessed (that can just make you more sensitive to pain, and studies have shown pain and mental states to get WORSE with obsession)

It is all fiberous tissue healing there. I am assuming mesh was used. If so remember that the tissue will be tugged around in there and will need a long (LONG) time to adjust to hard exercise. People can go back to exercise in 4 weeks, but in my experience, the body IS NOT ready for heavy stuff right away such as Gymnastic Strength Training™ that utilizes so much intra-abdominal pressure. Sometimes, it takes years. I am now about what...8 months out? I was annoyed that I couldn't progress in my levers and such (I was getting full planche, front lever etc. in the year!), but really, I just have time to work more on my foundation work anyway. For the record, I am 100% happy with my results and workouts right now. Life is all about attitude.

 

Give your body time to heal, and be causious. Better safe than reoccuring or painful.

 

-Pro

 

Fyi: In case you are wondering my frequency, I exercise 6 days a week for 1-1.5 hours a day.

[Cole Dano]

Thanks for sharing your experience Prometheus

 

 

Cole,

Any exercise recommendations for abdominal bracing/pelvic floor activations?

I'll preface this by saying, I wrote my original post three years ago, and since then I've changed many of my opinions.

 

I'm not comfortable anymore saying why my hernia hasn't gotten worse. However the question of abdominal cavity control is still an interesting one.

 

Inter-abdominal pressure being one indicator of what's going on.

 

In strength training, gymnastic included, we will put pressure into the abdominal cavity while tensing the abdominal muscles. In doing the level of the belly will somewhat swell compared to resting. The focus will tend to be on the abdominal muscles, and not so much those of the pelvic floor.

 

In yoga, at least as I was taught, the opposite tends to be true. We lower the inter-abdominal pressure by tightening the pelvic floor and lower abdomen. I can feel like creating a vacuum, and the thoracic pressure goes up.

 

If your not sure what tightening the pelvic floor is, just think you have badly have to go to the toilet.

[Michael Flores]

Thanks for your inightful reply Prometheus.  I ended up starting foundation one from the beginning after doing more research and asking more questions on the forum.  Starting from the beginning gives me a good amount of time to work on my mobility too, which quite frankly is lacking on most of the level one progressions.  Its interesting, I never thought something as simple looking as a Standing Hip Circle would make my hips so sore for a few days after lol.

 

 

[Laine Rinehart]

Know I am resurrecting a long buried thread but given the long term nature of these complications it would be nice though unlikely to hear from anyone who posted in this thread about their hernia recoveries years after the fact. I just had a repair a little over a week and a half ago and have just started to walk a small amount. I don't plan to return to training until after the 6 week period. I am mostly interested in deep back flexibility and hip rotations and not so much the strength aspects of GST. My body infact I believe my body gave out under the stress of an increase in strength work above my level and without adequate recovery.

How will back bending impact my recovery which was open surgery with a mesh implant? Will I have to give up these goals in order to lessen my chances of a recovery? I am in no rush but wondering when I can start to think of building up to my current level. I was training for headsits at a certain point. 

[Ross Cannon]

i am a 69 yo guy who keeps himself in pretty good shape. two years ago i developed

an inguinal hernia on the right side after helping a friend move some heavy furniture.

i regularly do pullups and recently noticed that my hernia is no longer an issue. i have

apparently strengthened the area and the intestine no longer protrudes through.

i had no surgery; my doctor said there was no rush. now i don't need it. 

Ross

[Julian Aldag]

On 11/14/2016 at 8:27 PM, Laine Rinehart said:

Know I am resurrecting a long buried thread but given the long term nature of these complications it would be nice though unlikely to hear from anyone who posted in this thread about their hernia recoveries years after the fact. I just had a repair a little over a week and a half ago and have just started to walk a small amount. I don't plan to return to training until after the 6 week period. I am mostly interested in deep back flexibility and hip rotations and not so much the strength aspects of GST. My body infact I believe my body gave out under the stress of an increase in strength work above my level and without adequate recovery.

How will back bending impact my recovery which was open surgery with a mesh implant? Will I have to give up these goals in order to lessen my chances of a recovery? I am in no rush but wondering when I can start to think of building up to my current level. I was training for headsits at a certain point. 

I had an Inguinal groin hernia repair back in 2010. I didn't do anything for 8 weeks, I think ( I got patched up by a sports doctor that looks after a lot of the football players in Australia).  After that I took a little time to get back into activities without any pain.  By now I have no problems doing anything I did before. 

My advice is to just do walking and stay away from doing ANYTHING that will aggravate it and prevent it from healing. Then, once you hit that 8 week mark and get cleared by your doc, start re introducing stuff and in another month or 2 you body should be back to where it was before the injury (At least my exp).

Long story short:  Dont be stupid and rush it. Take an extra month off if you need to. Think about the long game.