Strength Training Prior to Hysterectomy Surgery?

I workout, and I run, but I have been told that I need to do some strength training prior to having my surgery?
My surgery is scheduled for May 21 so I am trying to find out if anyone else strength trained and if it helped them with recovery or what not?

The entire process of the hysterectomy scares me to death and I am a nervous wreck...I will be happy when the entire things is all over and recovery is completed.
I am having the Da Vinci done (the one with the robotic arm and the 4 small incisions) but was sold they would pull it all out through the vaginal area? (owwww)

I haven't really been able to talk to anyone that has had this done before, which is why my doctor send me to this site with the booklet and all that.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

, dear sister, and that's great that your doc sent you to our site!
You've come to the right place: your sisters will be here for you any time you need to or or or or even

I asked about strength training in my own case before a TAH and, while it's clear that this depends a great deal from woman to woman, I was told not to do anything too, too different as they cut through muscle, so it was best not to create new conditions or new pain. If anything, I would suggest that you work on arm strength. Since it's hard to bend or use your abdominal muscles post-op, I found myself using arms to push myself up and out of bed, etc. My best guess is that, if you run and you work out, you're likely ahead of the game!
Take care and keep us posted.
from Romy

Thank you! I have always been fairly active, and when I had an emergency C-section 4 years ago, I felt that I healed more easily than some of my friends, but since then I have like NO tolerance for pain built up anymore. I think it took it all out of me, so I am scared to death to go through this!
They told me that It would throw me into surgical menopause, because unfortunately I can not keep my ovaries....and well, my hormones have never really been too much in control as it is.. So that part totally scares me!!!

I was given different information about my TAH, which was with a vertical incision. I was told that the surgeon would separate the muscle fibers and pull them apart to create an opening rather than actually cutting them. I think I would have been immobilized for a lot longer after surgery if the muscles had actually been cut. Even the second day after surgery, I was walking laps around the ward and sitting upright in an armchair to read when I wasn't walking.

I normally walk a lot and work out a bit in any case. When I found out I was having a hysterectomy - which was ten weeks before I actually had one - I stepped up my core work. Upper body work is also useful, because as Romy mentioned, you're going to be using your arms more than you usually do in order to make up for your weaker core. For example, when the nurses in the hospital asked me to sit up the first day after surgery, I instinctively grabbed the bedrails and *pulled* myself up a sitting position.

I have no idea whether the work I did before surgery helped or not, but it sure didn't hurt - and it was a great way to burn off the nerves! *grin*

Thank you!!! I will plan on working my upper body! I probably need to be better at that anyway!

Good luck, dear sister! I'm sure you'll do great!
"Surprised" also mentions some important things, including the walking, which is important to do after surgery as much as you're able, even if it's pacing the floor. Another thing I did, which I was very lucky to be able to do, was schedule the surgery about 10 days after a vacation. So I was more relaxed. And I did tons of swimming pre-op. I felt it really helped. Also lost about 5 lbs. pre-op (I tend to be 10-15 lbs. overweight).
from Jody

I was told the same thing as Surprised -- that they do NOT actually cut the abdominal muscles typically but only separate them and then push them apart, a bit like a curtain. My concern was that I'm a pianist and was worried that I'd have to wait quite a long time before playing fortissimo and louder. There's a decent amount of core strength used when playing a piano; one of the guidelines for playing fff is to pretend that you're trying to shove the piano through the wall in one explosive push. I was greatly relieved to learn that they don't actually have to cut the muscles there and I was back to pounding in no time.

You do want to be in the best possible shape for surgery, though -- some form of pre-training sounds like a great idea. Surgery is a bit like being shot into space. Ideally, you want to be in the best shape of your life beforehand.

I worked out hard, rested hard and upped my fresh fruit and veggies, even reduced alcohol prior to surgery. Should help with healing and general recovery.
I can't stay still much so was walking my 2 dogs an hour a day by day 2. At first it was slow with rests of course. Now at 2.5 weeks post op I am power walking, gardening, exercise bike. My doc said this was fine even at 52!

Thank you all!!!!! This his me so much!!' I've been eating mom processed foods as much as possible and limiting breads a well. Cardio and strength training everyday!!!!

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Cocopep11 I worked out hard, rested hard and upped my fresh fruit and veggies, even reduced alcohol prior to surgery. Should help with healing and general recovery. I can't stay still much so was walking my 2 dogs an hour a day by day 2. At first it was slow with rests of course. Now at 2.5 weeks post op I am power walking, gardening, exercise bike. My doc said this was fine even at 52!