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Thread: Hiatal hernia

  1. #1
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    Default Hiatal hernia

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    Hi Jordan,

    I'm not sure if this quite qualifies for this board, so feel free to delete. Over the last couple of years, my wife has been having digestive issues. For example, sometimes she'd have a DQ pecan mudslide (delicious!) and it would tear her stomach up. Have the same thing a month later...stomach just fine. Big glass of water....she belches like she had just finished a six-pack. Next day, water has no effect. We kept trying to eliminate what caused her stomach to get so upset but every time we thought we had it figured out (lactose intolerant, gluten problems, etc), she would eat something on 'the list' without any adverse effects.

    Today she came back from a visit to a gastroenterologist. The doctor advised that my wife would have to come back in a week for an upper GI (endoscopy?); but her (the doctor's) preliminary diagnosis was a hiatal hernia. My wife asked how this might affect her weightlifting routine, and the doctor queried how much was my wife lifting. When my wife replied that she was on the verge of a 200# squat PR and a 250#deadlift; the doc apparently had a come apart. She told my wife to stop lifting heavy weights immediately and then the doc made a fist with all the muscles flexed in her arm. Told my wife that contracting her muscles in that manner (isometric, I'm assuming), like the doc does in pilates, will get my wife just as strong as weightlifting. After a few deep breaths and an eye roll...my wife thanked the doc for her time and said she'd see the doc next week for the upper GI.

    Now my wife knows that pilates in not going to catapult her over her goal PR's (which, by the way, she was able set as a result of your GPP programming--so thank you very much for that!), but she's scared that heavy lifting may aggravate the hernia. She's been lifting since January of 2016 and doesn't want to 'retire' anytime soon.

    Any advice on how to manage a hiatal hernia while continuing to lift would be greatly appreciated, sir. Other than the GERD-like symptoms, she probably wouldn't have known the hernia existed. My advice to her was simply to carry on at least until she gets the results of the upper GI. Your thoughts?

  2. #2
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    I think that the doctor is full of shit, but may be useful for the EGD. I wouldn't do anything different training right now, but avoiding common allergens like dairy, nuts, eggs, and wheat for a spell and see if she gets any mileage out of that.

  3. #3
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    Default

    In one of the recent Q&A podcasts in the last few weeks Rip and an attendee discussed their hiatal hernias. That may have some useful information for the poster.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jordan Feigenbaum View Post
    I think that the doctor is full of shit, but may be useful for the EGD. I wouldn't do anything different training right now, but avoiding common allergens like dairy, nuts, eggs, and wheat for a spell and see if she gets any mileage out of that.
    Thanks for your reply, Jordan. I'll keep you updated if the doc decides to give more crazy advice on weightlifting....or PowerPilates...or whatever she does isometrically.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bryan B. View Post

    Today she came back from a visit to a gastroenterologist. The doctor advised that my wife would have to come back in a week for an upper GI (endoscopy?); but her (the doctor's) preliminary diagnosis was a hiatal hernia.
    My Hiatal Hernia

    I was diagnosed with a hiatal hernia back around 1995. However, I had the symptom for years before that.

    Sometimes foods basically lodge in my esophagus and take time to go down. The main food would trigger it was meat; primarily lean meats. Fat meats such as high fat fish were no problem.

    [quote]My wife asked how this might affect her weightlifting routine, and the doctor queried how much was my wife lifting. When my wife replied that she was on the verge of a 200# squat PR and a 250#deadlift; the doc apparently had a come apart. She told my wife to stop lifting heavy weights immediately...[quote]

    Lifting Heavy

    I can tell you that lifting heavy does NOT have any effect on a hiatal hernia.

    As a Powerlifter who still has some state records, lifting heavy never contributed to my issue.

    and then the doc made a fist with all the muscles flexed in her arm. Told my wife that contracting her muscles in that manner (isometric, I'm assuming), like the doc does in pilates, will get my wife just as strong as weightlifting.
    Great Information

    I which I'd have know this decades ago. All that time spend in the gym, Squatting, Benching and Deadlifting heavy.

    I could have sat on my sofa flexing my muscle and gotten the same results.

    Medical Doctors

    The majority of medical doctors have a very, very limited knowledge of exercise, pharmacology, physical therapy, nutrition, etc.

    Many of those medical doctors venture into area (listed above) with a minimal amount of knowledge. I am constantly perplexed as to why they do so.


    Now my wife knows that pilates in not going to catapult her over her goal PR's (which, by the way, she was able set as a result of your GPP programming--so thank you very much for that!), but she's scared that heavy lifting may aggravate the hernia. She's been lifting since January of 2016 and doesn't want to 'retire' anytime soon.
    I understand you and your wife's concern. However, as someone who have lived with a hiatial hernia for decades, I can tell you that training heavy NEVER has created any problem with my hiatal hernia.

    As per Jordan, "I wouldn't do anything different training right now..."

    My advice to her was simply to carry on at least until she gets the results of the upper GI.
    That what I'd recommend, as well.

    Kenny Croxdale

  6. #6
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    starting strength coach development program
    I understand you and your wife's concern. However, as someone who have lived with a hiatial hernia for decades, I can tell you that training heavy NEVER has created any problem with my hiatal hernia.

    As per Jordan, "I wouldn't do anything different training right now..."

    Thanks for your reply, Kenny! I was hoping to hear from some lifters sharing their experience. Nate, I'll check back for that discussion. I found some info in an old Ask Rip (#26, I think), but I don't think that's the one to which you are referring.

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