Hernia avoidance.

[Dastardly]

It has shocked me just how common hernia's are. Even in regular men the lifetime risk is 27% (wiki) so the likelihood for weightlifters must be extremely high. Which all these hernia threads would testify.

I was just wondering if there is any pheasible means of reducing the likelihood?

Would some kind of compression shorts while lifting help?

Would extra abdominal pressure from using lifting belts increase likelihood even further?

[nisora33]

To my knowledge, there is nothing you can do to prevent them, Dasd. I mean, maybe you could stop lifting, but why the fuck would you want to do that?

-S.

[Santisua]

Some lifters never get hernias, others do(I assume). You've read the threads, all up to genetics!

[Expat]

Dastardly,

I understand that hernias are mostly genetic. About 10 years ago during a routine exam, my doctor said "keep lifting, but be aware that there's a hernia in your future. I can already feel the soft spot." The only thing I've heard about avoiding a hernia is that being overweight can make it more likely, especially an umbilical hernia.

Anyway, my time finally came just a few weeks back. I felt the bulge and had triple surgery (two inguinals and an umbilical). Really, it wasn't that bad. My doctor said I could start normal activity in a week and can lift again four weeks after the surgery, although he encouraged me to "use some common sense" and "let pain be the guide." He says that the mesh implants will be stronger than the original and I don't need to worry about what I lift in the future. I think I will feel a lot more confident about lifting heavy now than I did when I was waiting for the hernia.

[nisora33]

Dastardly,

I understand that hernias are mostly genetic. About 10 years ago during a routine exam, my doctor said "keep lifting, but be aware that there's a hernia in your future. I can already feel the soft spot." The only thing I've heard about avoiding a hernia is that being overweight can make it more likely, especially an umbilical hernia.

Anyway, my time finally came just a few weeks back. I felt the bulge and had triple surgery (two inguinals and an umbilical). Really, it wasn't that bad. My doctor said I could start normal activity in a week and can lift again four weeks after the surgery, although he encouraged me to "use some common sense" and "let pain be the guide." He says that the mesh implants will be stronger than the original and I don't need to worry about what I lift in the future. I think I will feel a lot more confident about lifting heavy now than I did when I was waiting for the hernia.

Holy fuck, three hernias?! I didn't know that was possible (well, I figured it was, just didn't think it was likely). I'm pretty sure I'm working on tearing open at least one inguinal hernia right now. I hope not but for the last couple of years after every deadlift session, I get really tender down in the lower left quadrant of my abs, usually lasts a couple of days. And what's that about a "soft" spot? What would that even feel like, exactly, as compared to the rest of the abdominal wall?

-Stacey

[Expat]

Nisora,

Hey, anybody can have one or two hernias. I like to do things in a big way...

I don't know what the "soft spot" feels like since I never felt it. It involved an MD doing a lot of very personal poking and prodding. The extent of my involvement was turning my head and coughing.

The doc told me I might have gotten away without all three surgeries right now, and that he could have done the umbilical repair without mesh, but I figured if I was going to have to be off for four weeks, I might as well get them all out of the way and not have to worry about them in the future. And he definitely recommended the mesh for all three if I wanted to lift heavy in the future.

Another ten days or so and I can start lifting again. I've been impressed by how quickly things have healed.

[Dastardly]

This is all terrifying me by the way.

I have occasionally has aches around the lower/side of the abdomen and above thigh. It was very different to muscle soreness. Perhaps I have a lot of hernias waiting for me.

I am extremely phobic of this kind of thing, and surgical treatment as basic as the being hooked up to an IV is enough to give me heart palpitations.

I really really hope this does not happen to me.

[Sami]

They'd have to stick BIG fucking NEEDLES all over you!

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

They'd have to stick BIG fucking NEEDLES all over you!

you monster !


Dastardly, it's not as gruesome as you imagine it. I had inguinal hernia done back in 1999. I can only remember being awake in the operating theater ante-chamber, then someone put a mask on my mouth, told me to count to five and...I got to three, maybe.
I also remember it was late in the evening, and hearing someone saying that the surgeon had not had his dinner yet. Right on cue, a big plate of bangers and mash (mashed potatoes with sausages, for the guys in the ex-colonies) whizzed past me. I couldn't help but smile, thinking about my doctor tucking into that stuff, and then proceeding to open my groin to put a mesh in.

IPB

[Sgsolberg]

I have occasionally has aches around the lower/side of the abdomen and above thigh. It was very different to muscle soreness. Perhaps I have a lot of hernias waiting for me.

This doesn't necessarily have anything to do with hernias... I had the same feeling in December and it turned out to be a severe case of diverticulitis. Sidelined me for about 20 days.

As for hernias, I remember a Rip quote where he essentially said that training was done with the understanding that you would eventually get injured. Everyone who seriously trains eventually does. This also stands for hernias. Just be grateful that we live in a time where the surgical techniques to repair them are pretty good.