Ready for some changes in your life after your hysterectomy? Part of these changes include eating right and exercising to make sure your tomorrow is healthier. Join the Hyster Sisters as they wander from the Hormone Jungle and the Oasis of No-Hormone Desert to Hysteritaville.
Hysteritaville: Where wellness and a healthier tomorrow is our plan! In this section of the HysterSisters website we ask questions about fitness, wellness, vitamins and exercise. Although we come in all shapes and sizes, all backgrounds with varying health concerns, we visit in our forums to find the best way to enjoy better health as we recover from our hysterectomies.
Exercise - Abdominal Post-Op Fitness
Posted at 07-16-2003 - 08:23 PM
Before you Begin:
Returning to exercise after an abdominal surgery you need to be very cautious. Before you begin you need to check with your Dr. and get a clearance from him.
Some have more extensive surgeries than others do and your Dr will know better, what is right for you. It is a good idea to start walking as soon as possible after surgery. Most hospitals will not allow you out if you don't walk. Walk as much as you can while stil in the hospital. When you arrive home plan to rest.
The next day you should have a space blocked out for a short walk. You may only walk around your house at first, or up and down your driveway. It does not matter how far you go just that you walk. Maybe set a time to it. Start with 10 minutes. When you are finished walking, rest, with your feet elevated. Drink plenty of water.
Two quarts is recommended. Each day when you walk be prepared to go further, or longer than the day before. Try to stay clear of hills. Either direction. I found that walking downhill was far more stress on the abdominal than uphill. It is best to walk on a flat surface. If weather does not permit outside walking, try to find a mall or a super Wal Mart or some other place that has plenty of floor space. A treadmill at this point can be too much.
It is better for you to move through space. After your Dr has given you the green light (usually about 6 weeks), you may begin to do what you were doing prior to surgery but on a much smaller scale. Always approach your program as a starter.
Don't ever jump in with the idea that you can do like you did before . You must work up to it gradually. My best to you in your recovery and return to activity.
Abdominal Fitness:
he following are suggestions for beginning an abdominal workout after abdominal surgery such as a hysterectomy, but may be used for therapy for most types of abdominal surgery.
After abdominal surgery your approach to exercise should be slow and controlled and gradual. Please discuss with your surgeon when you may resume abdominal training. Please don't proceed with exercise until you have done this.
The abdominal needs to be strong in order to perform most everyday tasks. If you begin by doing an isometric hold, whenever you think of it, you will eventually be in the habit of holding it in without thinking about it. This will help the muscle to be flat. If you never pull it in, think about what it must look like. The muscle may rest when you sleep. All other times be aware. So start with awareness and train your abdominal to be flat and pulled in.Having strong, conditioned abdominal muscles helps to protect and support your back.Ê This can help to reduce back pain.
Once your physician gives you the go ahead to train the abdominal,Ê I suggest the following with these cautions:
If you feel any pain or discomfort while performing any of these exercises STOP,DRINK WATER, AND REST WITH YOUR FEET ELEVATED!!!
1. Lie on a hard surface (floor) possibly with a thin pad underneath you. Bend your knees, feet flat on the floor about 12 inches from your behind.
2. Placing one fist under your chin (between chin and chest) to remind you not to pull the chin to your chest.Ê Place the other hand beside your ear but not under your head as this may make you want to pull your head up whichÊ does not help the abdominal to work. If you are going to have strong abs you have to work them not your neck and chest.
3. Focus on a spot on the ceiling and think about your nose going to that spot. This spot should be directed over your knees.
4. Tighten the muscle (don't just pull it in) until you feel like your shoulder blades want to come up off the floor.
5. Now lift your shoulders off the floor taking your torso towards the spot you have chosen up above. As you lift and lower do not lower so the shoulders touch the floorÊ and do not allow the abdominal to relax.start with a set of 6 then rest and see how you feel. If you feel like more work up to 12.Ê If you cannot do 12 without pain or pulling, do only as many as you can. After you have done as many as you can up to 12, lower all the way down and give yourself a short 15 or 30 second break. Then repeat until you have finished 3 sets. (Caution: if you cannot do all 3 sets the first time work up to it. Take your time and be careful, paying close attention to how you are feeling)
NOTE:
The ab will get a better workout if you don't tilt the chin in but keep it elevated. This is why I suggest you place a fist under your chin. This will give the proper alignment for the neck.Ê Do you walk around with your chin on your chest? Well if you do you shouldn't. You should not do any exercise (including abdominal) with your spine out of alignment. Think about your ears being directly over your shoulders. For most of us that means pulling the chin back but not down.Ê Maintain spinal alignment at all times. Eventually you will want to place one fist under your chin with your other hand resting upon that wrist.
Another thing that will benefit you from working the ab in this manner is the strengthening of your neck. This will help you to hold your head upright. This will help with your posture and keep your head from hanging as you age.
Work on this aspect of your abdominal workout slowly. Your neck will tire, you may get a headache, and you will feel stress in the front of your neck. But the benefits from being strong all over will greatly benefit you. Don't give up on these!
Resistance Exercises
There are many types of equipment that can be used to perform resistance exercises. The ones I most commonly use are:
Traditional free weights (barbells and dumbells).
Machines--usually the best way to start a program.
Resistance bands and tubing--helps keep your body from adapting to a weight bearing program.
Resist-a-ball--mainly uses your own body resistance to strenghten and tone the major muscle groups. A fantastic tool for Core strengthening (in the trunk of the body)
An effective frequency of workouts is 3-4 times per week. Depending on your program you can resistance train as much as 6 times per week. It is recommended that you give your body at least one day of rest.
It is safest to rest each muscle 48 hours before working it again.
If your resistance program is set up ideally you will working one muscle group each day and resting it the next. IE Work arms and legs. next day work shoulder chest and back next
Resistance Band
USING THE BAND
PLEASE remember Proper Spinal Alignment (PSA) with all exercises. Chest lifted abdominal tight. Ears lined up with shoulders.
Do all exercises slow and controlled. Concentrate on the muscle group you are working. Enjoy !
BICEP: (muscle in the upper portion of the front of the arm.) Sit (PSA), band under right foot, working right bicep. The band should come out the outside of your foot. Grab hold of the other end of the band with your right hand. (You should adjust the tension by grabbing the band at the right distance to feel the resistance when you bend your arm.) Straighten and bend your arm from the elbow. No movement in the shoulder.
TRICEP: (muscle in the upper portion of the back of the arm) Sit (PSA), place the band over right shoulder and grab it with your right hand. Reach behind your back and grab the other end of the band. Lift bent elbow over head. Straighten and bend elbow. Adjust resistance. No movement in the shoulder.
DELTOIDS: Fan shaped muscle group located at the top of the arm
FRONT DELTOID:Ê (muscle in the front of the arm at the top that comes up to the shoulder) Sit (PSA), place the band under right foot, long side coming out from outside of foot. Grab band with enough resistance to raise arm to shoulder height. Arm is extended in front of your body. Start at just about knee height. Slight bend in the elbow.Ê Movement only in the shoulder.
MEDIAL DELTOID:Ê (middle segment of the muscle head at the top of the arm on the shoulder).Ê Sit (PSA), band under right foot, grab band with right hand with enough resistance to raise arm from knee height to shoulder height out to the side of your body.
PECTORAL CROSS: (pectoral is the muscle that runs from your arm across to the center of your chest). Stand (PSA) legs apart, band under right foot with length of band coming out on inside of your foot. Lean slightly forward. Holding the band with the proper amount of tension for you, move your arm with a slight bend in your elbow in a swinging motion from just below shoulder height to across the front of your body. Do not bend elbow more than slightly and it remains in the same position.
QUADRACEP:Ê (muscles in the upper portion of the front of the leg) Sit (PSA) , tie band ends together. Remember the tighter you tie the harder the work. Place both ankles inside the tied band. Stabilize the left foot on the floor.
1. Extend right foot (bend and straighten the knee).
2. Keep knee bent and pull it up towards the ceiling.
3. Straighten the leg and pull the whole leg up towards the ceiling. This does not have to be a large movement.
INNER THIGH:Ê (we all know where this is. They are called adductors) (PSA)Ê Tied band. You need something that will not move. A heavy desk (of course your should tie it after you put it around the desk), a spouse watching TV, get creative here. Ê Place band around object of choice and your right ankle. Object must be to the right of you because you are going to be pulling your leg across the front of your body in a pendulum motion.Your foot needs to be flexed and your toes turned out as tho your heel is leading the motion. You may sit or stand, whichever best suits your stabilizer choice.
OUTER THIGH: (Obviously opposite the inner thigh, also known as abductors).Ê (PSA) TiedÊ band, put around both ankles, stand. Lift right leg to side and return to middle. Be sure foot is parallel to the floor, toes pointing forward. Do not lean in the opposite direction. You may use a chair for balance if needed, but it is best to use your own core strength for stabilizing and balancing.
HAMSTRINGS: (These are the muscles at the top of your leg in the back). Lay on the floor in a prone position. Knees are about 6 inches apart. With band tied and around ankles, place both feet on the floor. The left is the stabilizer, right is working. Bend and straighten knee pulling foot as close to fanny as possible with out lifting hips off floor. Keep the knee on the floor.
There are many ways to use the resistance bands. The above are only a very few to get you started. Enjoy your new style of resistance training.
-Fitbug
Eating Right - Avoiding Post-Op Constipation
Posted at 07-16-2003 - 06:41 PM
When I read the Post-Op board I often come across the subject of constipation, or how to avoid being constipated.
Somedays I feel like an expert in this area, constipation having been a fact of life for me for such a very long time
When I was recovering from my hyst, I not only had to deal with the possibility of constipation resulting from the anesthesia and reduced activity level, but also was under strict orders not to strain in order to "protect" the rectocele repair that had also take ...[
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