Anyone ever have hernia repair surgery, then go back to heavy squatting afterwards?

[Anya]

If so, any re-injury?

I love heavy squatting, but am unsure if I will ever be able to squat hardcore again, since I'm hearing that even using the mesh patch to reinforce the repair in the abdomenal wall, re-injury can still occur and squatting puts a lot of institial pressure on the abs.

[matt1990]

Had 4 surgerys done for them...they suck lol...

matt~

[Beverly McD.]

My husband had it done about 2 years ago. He squats over a 1000. Make it a real point to tell the doctor how intensive your training is.

[Anya]

My husband had it done about 2 years ago. He squats over a 1000. Make it a real point to tell the doctor how intensive your training is.

Did he get a mesh patch to re-inforce the repaired area?

[Anya]

Had 4 surgerys done for them...they suck lol...

matt~

All for the same tear, or different ones?

[Beverly McD.]

Did he get a mesh patch to re-inforce the repaired area?
Yes he did. He actually brought an 8x10 photograph to the doctors office showing him squatting around 900 or so (forgotten now!) just to reinforce what the repair work would have to endure. The doc actually double reinforced the mesh somehow, and also added a ton more stitches to make sure it adhered well. He was cut from sternum to crotch. Had more than one hernia, and also had separated some of his upper abdominal walls.

The first couple of days were pretty brutal after the surgery, but he recovered quickly. Wished he had not of put it off for so long.

[nychris]

How long was the recovery time before you could lift again?

[Anya]

Yes he did. He actually brought an 8x10 photograph to the doctors office showing him squatting around 900 or so (forgotten now!) just to reinforce what the repair work would have to endure. The doc actually double reinforced the mesh somehow, and also added a ton more stitches to make sure it adhered well. He was cut from sternum to crotch. Had more than one hernia, and also had separated some of his upper abdominal walls.

The first couple of days were pretty brutal after the surgery, but he recovered quickly. Wished he had not of put it off for so long.

Yeah,what Chris asked. How long before your hubby was able to squat seriously again, and how long is it now since the surgery?

[Beverly McD.]

He was in the gym a couple days later doing light weight, high rep(as in 100) isolation type exercises, that he could manage WITHOUT flexing his abs at all. I want to think that at about 6 weeks out or so he started squatting the bar. After that he would add a little weight to the bar every squat day, always being careful to never put on enough that he had to strain in any way. He also ALWAYS wore his belt as reinforcement. Not really tight, but pretty snug. He also always wore a pair of briefs and a squat suit for the same reason.

Use common sense and great caution, and throw your ego out the window while you heal. It is a mistake to see how far you can push the line. It's too easy to CROSS OVER the line and really mess yourself up. Use gear from the very beginning to reinforce the incision site in every way possible.

Within 6 months he was squatting back in the 900s again. He's squatted over 1000 in the gym for legal reps since, and I expect for him to do a little better than at Master Nationals in May.


It's been probably 2 years or so since he had his surgery, but time flies and I could be be off 6 months in either direction.

[Anya]

He was in the gym a couple days later doing light weight, high rep(as in 100) isolation type exercises, that he could manage WITHOUT flexing his abs at all. I want to think that at about 6 weeks out or so he started squatting the bar. After that he would add a little weight to the bar every squat day, always being careful to never put on enough that he had to strain in any way. He also ALWAYS wore his belt as reinforcement. Not really tight, but pretty snug. He also always wore a pair of briefs and a squat suit for the same reason.

Use common sense and great caution, and throw your ego out the window while you heal. It is a mistake to see how far you can push the line. It's too easy to CROSS OVER the line and really mess yourself up. Use gear from the very beginning to reinforce the incision site in every way possible.

Within 6 months he was squatting back in the 900s again. He's squatted over 1000 in the gym for legal reps since, and I expect for him to do a little better than at Master Nationals in May.


It's been probably 2 years or so since he had his surgery, but time flies and I could be be off 6 months in either direction.



Geez....six weeks to even squat the bar. That's gonna be hell. I don't know how I'd be able to hit hams at all without flexing abs. Extensions I can see, but even donkey kick-backs will activate the abs.

Thanks very much for the info though. Most physicians really don't know dick about serious lifting and give grossly conservative, if not totally inaccurate, information about rehab times.

[solidspine]

I had the old fashion surgery in 1950, left a cool scar, and then 2 or 3 years ago, had the other side go, but they skipped the mesh, I have only heard good things about the mesh.

Oh and Neither bother my squats or my leg workouts, I only do front squats, and keep the weight down.

[Fawkes]

Retears with the old tension type repairs (just pull the wound close and sew it up) occur 11% of the time if I remember correctly. With the mesh its much much less, retears are uncommon.

[Anya]

I had the old fashion surgery in 1950, left a cool scar, and then 2 or 3 years ago, had the other side go, but they skipped the mesh, I have only heard good things about the mesh.

Oh and Neither bother my squats or my leg workouts, I only do front squats, and keep the weight down.

You had hernia surgery 58 years ago?

[Caligula]

You had hernia surgery 58 years ago?

Wouldn't that put you at your youngest in the upper 70's?

[RagingBull666]

I had an umbilical hernia and also had the mesh put in. My doctor was made award of the weight I pushed and what powerlifting does to the body. He put in a patch 4X the size of the hernia and added additional stitching (kevlar based).

I took 3-4 days off from work. I worked for the railroad and my job was all outdoors with lots of climbing and throwing switches. I tried throwing a switch, facing forwards, and very quickly was reminded that you can't flex the abs.

I took one week off from the gym and did just as Bev's husband, Mike, did with the comeback. I moved slow and worked with weight that I didn't need to flex the abs while also wearing the belt. I can't remember being off that long but Mike's was much more severe. Mine was umbilical and the wife thinks that I was back at it in a month with full intensity. I think it was probably two months. SS, RB

[Anya]

Mine was umbilical and the wife thinks that I was back at it in a month with full intensity. I think it was probably two months. SS, RB

That's about the recovery time the surgeon quoted me as well. He said I only had a bit of that intra-abdominal fat layer bulging through, and no involvement of the intestine at all.

I was afraid he'd see a woman and assume I'd never be putting much strain on it from heavy iron pumping (doc was a skinny little guy I might add), so I made sure he knew I used to (and plan to again) squat upwards of 300lbs. He said the tear itself was small and the patch would enable me to lift heavy for sure.

[Anya]

would you believe I just now finally had the hernia surgery. :)

I was afraid of a worsening of my Lyme Disease symptoms when I had the surgery and that's what happened. Three or four days of a weakened body from the surgery and the infections went gonzo on me again. None really in the skin or muscle of the abdomen so there's no problem with the wound, but I've got encephalitis again. Gonna take me a while to get back on my feet again.

Had to get that hernia fixed though. Bastard went in through my navel! If I end up with an outie I'm kicking his ass.

[Ulter]

LOL!!! No you won't get an outie from laproscopy. It'll be a much quicker recovery too.

[SFork]

Did he get a mesh patch to re-inforce the repaired area?

My best friend had a double hernia with the mesh patch. The patch has been recalled he now has to have it removed.

I took care of him during his first week out of the hospital. I have never seen a grown man in so much pain. I felt so bad for him it was horrible.

[Anya]

LOL!!! No you won't get an outie from laproscopy. It'll be a much quicker recovery too.

it's kind of an outie now, but hopefully that's just some interstitial swelling.

[Anya]

16 days post-op and only an occasional twinge. Now I'm wishing I'd gone ahead and done this last April and don't been a pussy about it.

I'm uber fricking stoked that I can start back on upper body lifting on 1/17! First time in 8 months I've been able to move some iron. I've actually dreamed about squatting I love it so much. Totally can't wait.

[Killer]

I will be joining you soon. I have an umbilical hernia that has gotten worse over the years. This past Summer when I leaned out it was getting pretty noticeable if I flexed my abs. Luckfully, I have no pain. I have an appt on the 20th.

[Anya]

I will be joining you soon. I have an umbilical hernia that has gotten worse over the years. This past Summer when I leaned out it was getting pretty noticeable if I flexed my abs. Luckfully, I have no pain. I have an appt on the 20th.

Wow I'm surprised your's isn't causing any disomfort at all. Could be b/c it's been tearing very slowly over such a long period of time.

I should share with you that there are surgeons that will repair unstrangulated umbilical hernias under local anesthetic, so if you're uncomfortable with the idea of unneccesary general there are options. (Local's also a heck of a lot cheaper!)