Hernia Surgery – Inguinal hernias are a painful experience. And even a small hernia can cause you serious complications, especially if proper treatment isn’t sought promptly.
Unfortunately, many hernias require surgical intervention. And this often means that a hernia is either removed, or an implant known as hernia mesh is inserted into the body to cover the hernia and keep organs or fatty tissues from protruding.
As you can imagine, hernia surgery can also cause complications. And recovering from hernia surgery is a process that needs to be handled delicately. But with a little proper guidance, you can easily recover from your hernia and re-strengthen your muscles.
Another thing to remember is that when recovering from a hernia, you simply cannot perform many of the movements that you once were able to do with ease. But you don’t have to be completely immobile either.
If you’ve recently had inguinal hernia surgery, the following will detail a few ways you can avoid injury and aid in your recovery process.
Post-Surgery Precautions
If you’ve recently had hernia surgery, chances are you have a wound from the surgery itself that you must allow to heal before you’ll be able to have full range of motion. But if you’ve had a hernia mesh implant, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.
First, hernia mesh has been known to shift in the body over time. In fact, if too much movement occurs, the mesh can cut into veins, organs, or other tissues and cause a severe and life-threatening infection. And this has actually prompted many lawsuits. Regardless, this also means that you need to be extremely cautious when you bend, twist, or stoop.
No matter if you’ve had a hernia removed, or a mesh implant, you should move as little as possible until the area heals completely. And only after you’ve consulted with your doctor should you engage in any “normal” activities.
Everyday Activity
It’s no secret that we all lead busy lives that require us to move around quite frequently. But if you’re in recovery after hernia surgery, this can leave you without much choice but to limit your motion.
As a precaution, the following should always be adhered to:
- Avoid strenuous activity such as aerobic exercise or weight lifting
- Avoid lifting anything over 10 pounds (including groceries)
- Avoid sexual intercourse (consult with your physician)
- Avoid driving if at all possible
- Use caution when sitting up in bed
Additionally, if your doctor tells you it’s ok for you to engage in the light movement of any kind, you should begin by walking a little bit each day. And if you can manage walking at least 30 minutes a day, this is a great exercise for getting the blood flowing and beginning the strengthening process.
Further, seek assistance for any lifting that you must do, or if you need to bend or stoop, wait for help if possible. These motions can aggravate the area or cause a wound to open if you engage in too much abdominal contraction.
Strengthening Your Core
After you’ve had time to heal for a bit, you may want to try some light to moderate exercise. And it’s best if you begin with small motions that offer the benefits of stretching plus core strengthening.
One of the best workout regimens for stretching and developing core strength is yoga. And this is actually one of the more worthwhile health investments that you can make.
With a variety of poses and practices, you can begin doing yoga at any level. Even if you’ve never sat down on a yoga mat before, doing basic movements not only helps to stretch the muscles and ligaments, it also trains your breathing and helps to focus your mind.
While some yoga poses are extremely difficult and may take many years to master, while you’re in recovery after hernia surgery, you can benefit from doing basic poses even without a certified yoga instructor present.
Though you’ll want to have proper instruction at some point, there are many beginner videos that you can access online and begin doing right in the comfort of your own home. And this will certainly help your healing process along.
Recovering from hernia surgery doesn’t have to take you away from your life completely. In fact, the downtime that you’ll have might actually be a happy benefit and give you time to focus on doing simple things, away from your normal busy schedule.
