Exercise Before Surgery?

[Lindsey Skinner Abbott 97]

For those who started exercising before surgery did you find your recovery easier? I have started going to the Y and doing some body pump and CX works classes. I also try to do a cardio combo on the elliptical and bike for 45 minutes. I want to make this recovery easy so I can get back to work. I am planning on two weeks off work but would love to get back in less time. I told my boss about the surgery but no one else!

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

Compared to what? I can only compare my recovery to what I experienced. I don't know what it would have been like if I hadn't exercised as much as I did or if I exercised more.

I would guess that going into the surgery as fit and healthy as possible would help your recovery.

[Dub 10,019]

I wan't really able to prior due to back injury.

There is absolutely zero doubt in my mind that it would help me to have been able to, though.

My last abdominal hernia repair was 4 years ago. The day before the surgery I did a total body workout and hit every major muscle group. I guess you could say I sort of peaked in that workout. It came after 8 months of hard training. It was a super intense and fast paced workout that spanned some 2 hours.

Muscle soreness was setting in the next morning as I went in for my surgery.

The recovery was tremendously easier than the same surgery a few years before....done when I wasn't really doing any type of formal exercise.

Unfortunately, it appears that I'll have to have yet another hernia repair in the future as the last isn't holding. Surgeon wants to monitor it and me to put it off until I'm cruising around at goal weight for a while. I'll exercise hard right up until that surgery, too.

[Alex Brecher 10,516]

@@Lindsey Skinner Abbott,

@@Inner Surfer Girl does make a good point…we’re each an experiment of one, and it would be rather difficult (that is, impossible!) to know what surgery would have been like if we’d exercised more or less than we did.

However, yes, exercising before surgery is probably a good idea. First, it makes you healthier, which probably makes surgery easier and recovery faster and easier.

Second, when you’re used to being active before surgery, it’ll be easier to move around after surgery. That can help because a lot of patients use walking as a pain management technique after surgery.

That said, listen to your doctor’s advice! Good luck.