Anyone who has ever developed a hernia knows how much pain is involved. Hernias are present when one or more organs extend outside the cavity where they are normally located. When surgery is necessary to correct the situation, many day to day activities must be curtailed during the healing process. That includes exercise. Several factors impact how long you need to wait before beginning to exercise again. Here are some examples to keep in mind.

The Location and Severity of the Hernia

There is more than one type of hernia. Some are serious enough to require more time for healing to take place. Others may not have been that bad at first, but because the patient waited so long to seek treatment the surgery was more complex. Expect your surgeon to provide a general time line based on the kind of hernia you developed and how intensive the surgery had to be to correct the issue. Even in the mildest situations, you can anticipate a minimum of two weeks without resuming any part of your normal exercise routine.

How Well You’re Healing

Not everyone heals from an invasive procedure at the same pace. Even if your surgeon provides an average amount of time to wait before resuming your exercises, the speed of your healing will be an important factor. For example, if you develop any type of infection after the surgery, the wound care will be more complicated and could require more time for the healing to finish.

The Types of Exercises You Do

What types of exercise do you engage in regularly? Depending on how intense your workouts happen to be, the surgeon may recommend that you ease back into the routine. For example, you may be cleared to start power walking a couple of weeks after the surgery. For a few more weeks, the surgeon may recommend avoiding any weight lifting or resistance training. The goal is to make sure the tissues are healed completely and that your body can hold up well to the other elements of your workout.

Your General Health

Chronic conditions can complicate any type of invasive procedure, including hernia surgery. Those conditions will also have some impact on the healing process. Your surgeon will take those into consideration and talk with you about the importance of not trying to do too much too quickly. The goal is to ensure that the plan for recovery includes the right approach to hernia support. That will mean factoring any other health issues into the general plan for your recovery.

Keep in mind that that no two instances of hernia surgery are exactly alike. While a friend may have a similar procedure, there is no guarantee that both of you will heal at the same pace. Come up with a plan that is in line with your surgeon’s suggestions, make use of any medical supplies in Canada that are recommended, and follow those instructions to the letter. In the long run, you will heal with fewer complications and be able to resume your normal routine without triggering any additional injuries.