I had an umbilical hernia repaired on wensday. My doctor tells me no lifting for 6 weeks. This is really frustrating as I was making nice progress under the 5/3/1 program. Anybody have any experience with this procedure? Iam hoping that by week 3-4 I can at least do some dips and shoulder work with light dumbells, maybe some single leg bodyweight squats or something. Iam afraid of losing a lot of strength during the down time.
Shit happens, there’s years to lift, don’t go screwing yourself up worse by trying to lift.
You’ll get back to where you were and then some in no time.
Hope you heal well! Even after those 6 weeks, I would be super careful with your choice of leg exercises for several months until you’re completely healed. Use this time to just maintain your upper body.
I actually started a thread not too long ago covering hernias. I got some good feedback and there were a few guys that posted that had hernia experiences of their own. Check out my thread and PM some of the guys that have posted.
Plus, You could always post your recovery stats on their too. I think itd be a good forum to put yours and other’s experiences with hernias so others could refer to what you and others have gone through.
here’s the link:
Best wishes for a speedy recovery. I hope to read your status in the next few months!!
All the best!
Seth
Thanks for the link. I read through the posts and actually feel a little better about my situation. My hernia was in the belly button and caused no pain. I worked heavy with no discomfort at all. Decided to have it fixed after seeing a picture of a middle aged meth dealer on the front page of the hometown newspaper with this fucking growth protruding from his abdomen and hanging beneath his shirt…turns out it was a hernia he never had repaired. I had my surgery shceduled 6 days later. Before the surgery I practiced dips with a completely relaxed abdomen in anticipation of the recovery period and that worked pretty well. Doing those I think I can at least maintain upper body strength…real concerned about losing lower body strength.
[quote]ansleyl wrote:
I had an umbilical hernia repaired on wensday. My doctor tells me no lifting for 6 weeks. This is really frustrating as I was making nice progress under the 5/3/1 program. Anybody have any experience with this procedure? Iam hoping that by week 3-4 I can at least do some dips and shoulder work with light dumbells, maybe some single leg bodyweight squats or something. Iam afraid of losing a lot of strength during the down time.[/quote]
I might be in a similar situation. I’m actually going to the doc tomorrow to have him take a look at my belly button. I’ve had an outie my whole life, but want it checked out again. It doesn’t cause me any discomfort.
Tell me more about your situation. How was your hernia discovered? How was the surgery? Did you get the mesh?
I am also training 5/3/1.
The Austrian Oak: I had never actually paid any attention to my belly button until a couple years ago I noticed that all of a sudden it had gotten bigger. When laying in bed and watching tv with my 3 year old she would like to try and poke it back in and that hurt like hell. I figured I had a hernia, but because it didnt bother me when I lifted I ignored it. My wife finally convinced me I needed to get it checked out so I went to the doctor. He gave me a list of reasons why I needed to have it fixed. So I did. The surgery was simple, less than 45 minutes. I didnt have to have the mesh…just the stitches to fix it. Had the surgery on September 2. Very little pain…just a burning sensation for a little while. The worst part is that I came down with bronchitis the day after surgery and coughed my head off for about 10 days. That was tough…I didnt want to tear the stitches. My first followup a week after surgery went well…he gave me strict instructions no lifting of 15 pounds or more for 6 weeks. After about three weeks I started doing dips with a limp lower body and single leg bodyweight squats. I took it very easy, other than that. I go on Wens the 21st for my last visit with the doctor…hopefully to be relased back to full activity. Will ease back into squatting and deadlifting probably no heavier than 225 for a couple weeks …then full on 5/3/1. All in all I thought it would be worse not being able to lift for 6 weeks but I have enjoyed the down time…my body needed the rest.
[quote]ansleyl wrote:
The Austrian Oak: I had never actually paid any attention to my belly button until a couple years ago I noticed that all of a sudden it had gotten bigger. When laying in bed and watching tv with my 3 year old she would like to try and poke it back in and that hurt like hell. I figured I had a hernia, but because it didnt bother me when I lifted I ignored it. My wife finally convinced me I needed to get it checked out so I went to the doctor. He gave me a list of reasons why I needed to have it fixed. So I did. The surgery was simple, less than 45 minutes. I didnt have to have the mesh…just the stitches to fix it. Had the surgery on September 2. Very little pain…just a burning sensation for a little while. The worst part is that I came down with bronchitis the day after surgery and coughed my head off for about 10 days. That was tough…I didnt want to tear the stitches. My first followup a week after surgery went well…he gave me strict instructions no lifting of 15 pounds or more for 6 weeks. After about three weeks I started doing dips with a limp lower body and single leg bodyweight squats. I took it very easy, other than that. I go on Wens the 21st for my last visit with the doctor…hopefully to be relased back to full activity. Will ease back into squatting and deadlifting probably no heavier than 225 for a couple weeks …then full on 5/3/1. All in all I thought it would be worse not being able to lift for 6 weeks but I have enjoyed the down time…my body needed the rest. [/quote]
Headed to the doc right now. Wish me luck.
Went to see my doc and he said he’s 99% sure that I don’t have a hernia. He says that he just doesn’t feel it and thinks that it is just my anatomy.
He is sending me to a surgeon to make sure.
I am intrigued about this as i have an umbilical hernia!!
I asked the doctor about continuing doing weights and sport, and she said it was fine to continue training. Although she did warn that if it developed into a strangulated hernia i would have to get to an A and E pretty sharpish.
Were you experiencing pain with your hernia at all ?
porkpie: I had no pain whatsoever unless I bumped it or something. My surgeon told me to stop lifting immediately on the first visit. However, I continued to do so up until I had my surgery with no problems. He gave me the same warning your doc did, but I had no problems.
[quote]ansleyl wrote:
I had an umbilical hernia repaired on wensday. My doctor tells me no lifting for 6 weeks. This is really frustrating as I was making nice progress under the 5/3/1 program. Anybody have any experience with this procedure? Iam hoping that by week 3-4 I can at least do some dips and shoulder work with light dumbells, maybe some single leg bodyweight squats or something. Iam afraid of losing a lot of strength during the down time.[/quote]
You could check out using a hip belt, this will not putt stress on the lower back. Good things about back injury:
- It will teach you patience.
- It will make you appreciate your healthy body much more when you have finally healed.
- There are more important things in life… ( like what???
I speak of experience, since I had a very bad back injury in 2007, but I had no operation. For me it was 12 weeks with no training, then front squats until I could start back squatting about a year after the injury happened. Then another 3 months, before I could deadlift heavy again. In the process I reinjured myself a couple of times… Sets everything into perspective. Many people have healed up and come back to reach even higher levels after injury and operations, you can too! Just do as the doctor says!
Best of patience and hard work! 
You could also focus on upper body work in this period.
I read the first post in this thread a bit to quickly, and tought it was a back injury, then I googled it and found it wasn’t. :\
So as some of my points still stand, just listen to the doctor and do what he tells you, no point to be impatient.
All the best!
– stallion
Went to a surgeon today and he told me i have an umbilical hernia. He said there is no rush to fix it right now, but that he will do it next week if I want. He said that I’ve had it my whole life.
He says it takes him 15-20min to complete the procedure, always using mesh.
I had a hernia when I was a baby and my parents told me it went into my balls. Am I at risk for another one?