Can't lift both legs together lying down 3 months post hysterectomy

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Originally Posted by Nduyen Yes I can lift my shoulders. I guess I can start with that? Thanks.

Place one hand on your abdomen. Lift your shoulders slightly. Notice how your abdominal muscles tighten? What you need is exercise that repetitively tightens and releases your abdominal muscles.

When doing shoulder lifts, it's better for your back if you bend your knees and plant both feet flat on the floor (with your legs like an upside-down V) instead of letting your legs lie flat along the floor.

Do the shoulder lifts every day for a couple of weeks and then have another go at lifting both legs. If you still can't, keep doing shoulder lifts and then try again in another couple of weeks.

It sounds like your abdominal muscles - and your entire core - is extremely weak. While this isn't good - for a variety of reasons - this isn't something to worry about. It IS something that must be addressed, however.

I would recommend talking to your doctor about prescribing physical therapy to strengthen your core muscles. A trained physical therapist will be able to guide you through beginner's exercises and help you advance and progress.

Best wishes.

Hi SurprisedIn NB,
Thanks I just tried it. I could only lift my head, not my shoulders, but I could feel the abdominal muscles when lifting my head.

I will call my doctor tomorrow, thanks Mindy.

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Originally Posted by Nduyen Hi SurprisedIn NB, Thanks I just tried it. I could only lift my head, not my shoulders, but I could feel the abdominal muscles when lifting my head.

If lifting your head causes your abdominal muscles to tense, then start by lifting your head. Everyone starts somewhere. :-)

Also, what happens if you plant bend one leg and plant the foot flat on the floor, then lift just the *other* leg about a foot in the air? If you can't lift it that far, just lift it as far as you can.

*If* you can lift one leg easily, go get some cans of food or something else heavy. Attach them to your leg with a bandanna or something. Can you lift the leg with one can attached? More than one can?

Find out what you *can* do that makes your abdominal muscles tense and start from there.

Hi, you have some good advice from the sisters...Talk to your Dr. S/he can advise you to see a PT or a personal trainer. It may take time to get into Dr, so it doesnt hurt to call around to personal trainers & PT's to get ideas.

If your Dr says, just start getting active & not offer advice (like my primary Dr told me). Some suggestions: restorative workouts that are geared towards women for pre & post natal exercise. Walking is the easiest thing to start with. You support your core while walking, which we use muscles to hold us up. Ive used the stretch bands-the easy ones. My daughter had them from OT due to low muscle tone & she no longer needs them. The OT had her do exercises w the bands, throwing & volley w a beach ball. so that got me thinking, my abs need strengthen too, so I did that.. Swimming (in shallow end till your abs strengthen). Then pilates, barre or restorative yoga gor ore & post natal... Healing is still going on, but take it slow, youll get there. My abs were so weak post op! I get it. Let us know!

Maybe doing a plank pose a few seconds at a time? It's the pose that looks like you're about to do a push up. If you can't get on your hands and toes, try doing it with your knees down and on your elbows. If you can't hold that for very long, just hold for a five seconds and rest, hold for 5 then rest, hold for 5 etc etc. Or try doing push ups against a wall at an angle, that can help the core too. The farther your feet are from the wall, the harder it is, so step closer if it's too hard to do. Like the sisters said before, a physical therapist could help get you on your way if it's too hard to do alone.

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Originally Posted by Nduyen Hi Falfrenzy, So we have closed op date. You are able to lift both legs together when lying down? Thanks.

Until you asked that question, I hadn't really thought about whether I did that. When I would do my exercises lying down, I generally roll onto my back in the sitting position, so my kness were bent and legs were are already together. To strengthen my core muscles, I would then lower one leg at a time and bring it back up and do this a few times. I just tried lifting both legs together while lying down. I could do it and I will say that I could not do a ton of them. I can feel the abs working and some stretching. It feels a little bit uncomfortable, but I could do them. I think starting out with the core exercises like the one I described helped me. I think it is different for everyone. I also started working with a personal trainer a couple of weeks ago, because I want to make sure that my core is strong enough to handle other activities like running. She is aware of my surgery, and my sensitivities towards making sure I don't injure anything.