ExecutiveChronicles | Simple Health Tips: Here’s How to Heal Yourself After Having Hernia | Abdominal (inguinal) hernias are one of the more painful injuries that you can experience. This is the type of injury that can significantly limit your bodily movements and keep you from living a full life or engaging in activities that you’re normally used to performing.
A hernia can also happen when you least expect it. And many hernia patients have reported not knowing a hernia was present until the pain became severe. Regardless, if you’ve recently had a hernia or you’re in recovery from hernia surgery, you run the risk of further injury if proper precautions aren’t taken.
Perhaps it may be a while before you’re able to return to the gym or engage in any fitness regimen. But even walking around, bending or twisting can further aggravate a hernia. And if you want to heal quickly and properly, you’ll need to be proactive with your care–and with your rehabilitation.
If you’ve recently suffered a hernia or had hernia surgery, the following will offer a few tips for strengthening your core and keeping yourself healthy during the healing process.
Post Surgery Exercises
Just for a note of caution, before engaging in any post-surgery exercises, you should seek permission or guidance from your physician. And this is because even light exercise can cause complications after inguinal hernia surgery.
Additionally, if you’ve recently received a hernia mesh implant, post-surgery workouts should be avoided until the area heals. Further, you should also be aware that hernia mesh has been known to shift around in the body causing life-threatening injuries. And this is why many patients who have received hernia mesh implants have filed lawsuits.
If you’ve been cleared to perform light exercises, a few core-strengthening exercises you can perform are as follows:
- Seated curls (using lightweight)
- Push-up plank
- Wall push-ups
- Leg raises
- Side-bends
As mentioned, you should ensure that you’ve been cleared for light to moderate exercises by your physician prior to incorporating a workout routine after hernia surgery. And as always, start with lightweight and low repetitions until you’re strong enough to handle more strenuous motion or lifting.
Button Pulls
Perhaps the most beneficial exercises you can perform are those which strengthen your core and can help keep a hernia from coming back. And button pulls are one such exercise.
The following will illustrate the process for this exercise:
- While lying down on your back with your knees slightly bent and your feet flat on the floor, place your hands on your hips.
- Take a few deep breaths in through the nose, and exhale through the mouth to relax your core.
- When you’re relaxed, breathe in through the nose and hold your breath.
- As you breathe out, pull your abdomen inward towards your back (focusing on the navel).
- Repeat this process for the desired amount of repetitions.
Note that this exercise should not be performed to the point of discomfort. Rather, only until you feel mild exertion in the abdominal region.
Button pulls will stretch and strengthen the abdominal walls, and this is helpful for preventing a hernia from returning after you’ve healed.
Pawanmuktasana
Don’t worry too much about trying to pronounce it. Instead, just know that this form of yogic exercise helps to prevent inguinal hernias for several reasons.
Pawanmuktasana pose is also known as the “wind relieving” pose and belongs to the Hatha yoga practice. The primary purpose for this pose is to help expel the trapped gasses in your intestines and stomach which can also relieve constipation. However, this pose also helps to strengthen and stretch the core abdominal muscles.
The Pawanmuktasana pose is performed by lying in the supine position (on the back) with your feet together and bringing the knees up to the chest. Then place your forearms across your shins and “cradle” your legs against your chest. Note that you may also try doing just one leg at a time as well if you’re new to any yogic practice.
Once your knees are held against your chest, try to touch your forehead to your knees, relax and breathe in and out at a regular interval. Repeat the process as many times as you see fit until your core is fully stretched.
A hernia doesn’t have to be a life-altering injury. In fact, with proper physical therapy, and proactive effort, you can easily rehabilitate your abdominal region and make it stronger in order to prevent a hernia from returning.
Additionally, always avoid any excess lifting after a hernia or hernia surgery, and as mentioned, always follow the advice of your physician before attempting any exercise program.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio: https://www.pexels.com/
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