Exercising helps you stay in shape and be healthy. At the same time, strenuous exercises can cause physical harm at times. Lifting heavy weights with weak abdominal muscles is one of the biggest causes of hernia.
Exercises such as squats, bench presses, deadlifts, and so on must be done with caution as these exercises exert pressure on your body muscles, and weak muscle situations can result in a hernia.
If you are wondering what to do to continue exercising without compromising for a hernia or any health ailments, delve into the following article.
What Can I Do to Prevent Hernia in the Gym?
Here are some tips to help prevent hernia when you lift heavy weights or exercise at the gym.
- Warm up well
- Start with light exercises
- Maintain Strong Core Muscles and Posture
- Know Your Exercising Limit
- Be careful with certain exercises
Warm Up Well
Begin your exercise routine with proper warming up of your body. Warm-up exercises prepare your body for the round of intense exercises to come and reduce the risk of any injury. You can start with low-intensity exercises like jogging, stretching, brisk walking, cycling, and so on.
Start With Light Exercises
After the preparatory warm-up begin your exercise routine with light exercises. While lifting weights start with light weights before moving onto heavy ones. Safely lifting heavy weights is appreciated, and it is better to build up the weights gradually.
Maintain Strong Core Muscles and Posture
Ensure that you have strong core muscles when you indulge in exercises such as planks, crunches, and squats. Core muscles include the abdomen, pelvic, and lower back muscles. Strong core muscles help prevent many abdominal wall hernias. You can strengthen by taking nutrient-rich foods. Also, ask the advice of a trainer on your exercise postures and rectify any improper postures to prevent injuries.
Know Your Exercising Limit
Do not be hard on yourself and push your limits to exercise strenuously. Exhausting exercises can do more harm than good and may put you at risk of developing a hernia. So, stop when exercising hurts. You can challenge your limits eventually. So, start small and build big.
Be Careful With Certain Exercises
You have to be cautious with exercises that can exert a considerable amount of pressure on your muscles.
Some of the exercises to look out for include:
- Bench press
- Shoulder press
- Squats
- Bridges
- Deadlifts
Does Exercising Help Prevent Hernias?
Yes, exercising can improve your overall health, keep your muscles fit, prevent obesity, and ultimately reduce the chances of hernia. Proper exercising without exhausting yourself can help you strengthen your muscles and prevent your internal organs from squeezing through weak spots in the muscle wall.
Can You Exercise When You Have a Hernia?
You can take up light exercises like walking and stretching. However, it is better to avoid strenuous exercise when you have a hernia. Hernias tend to get severe when you involve yourself in exhausting activities. So, it is advisable to stay away from exercising until the hernia is repaired.
You can consult your healthcare provider if you still wish to resume exercising despite your hernia condition.
Can I Do Exercise After Hernia Surgery?
You can exercise after your hernia surgery upon consent from your hernia specialist. Begin with light exercises after recovering from a hernia repair. You can gradually take up heavy exercising if you are into it. Always ensure that you get your health condition checked before resuming your exercise routine.
Conclusion
Hernia may be a threat to gym-goers. Yet, it can be avoided through proper precautions. Ask for the help of a fitness trainer or instructor to do proper exercising.
Pay attention to strengthening your core muscles to prevent abdominal hernias. Also, take in enough protein and fiber in your diet for strong muscles.
To know more about preventing hernia in the gym, contact a hernia specialist.
FAQs
Yes, a gym belt may not directly help prevent a hernia. Yet, it can help you maintain the right posture for exercising and prevent injuries to your body, including a hernia.
No, you must not lift weights with any kind of hernia. Hernias can become more severe with lifting weights. So, do not lift any heavy objects until you are healed of your hernia.
You can do low-intensity exercises like walking and stretching while experiencing a hernia condition. You can also get the advice of your healthcare provider on other light exercises you wish to do and undertake them.
