Hernia and powerlifting

[klaery]

So been ramping up for a comp (first one in over a year) and training was going really well. Squatting 3 times a week and deadlifting each week adding a lot of weight to my lifts. Even bench was going up fast which is the one I have the most trouble with. Anyway on a particularly good training day I was set up for bench as normal. I was doing 100kg (220lb) for 8s as a bit of volume after intensity work. On the 5th rep I felt a tear above my navel. On bench!

Looks like I have a mild hernia. Nothing pokes out through there but I can feel a hole through my abs and can feel squelching/pressure wants to come out through there when I tense my core.

Saw the doc and he agreed with my initial suspicions. Ultrasound on Wednesday. Devestated

So what I want to hear your stories of hernias and powerlifting. Did you come back? How long were you out for? Were you able to train anything pre op and what kind of recovery was involved. Of course I will ask my doc all this as well but just getting a feel for what I am in for.

[prepremed]

I was out for about a month from what I remember, but I couldn't lift well for a few months. Now a few years later I hardly notice it ever. My one piece of advice is to move move move. Take your painkillers and make sure to walk around every half hour starting the day after the surgery. The more you move around the less scar tissue you'll have build up and the less stiff you'll become. You'll bounce back stronger than ever in a few months.

[prepremed]

mine was an inguinal hernia, not an abdominal one like yours. I was pretty stupid about mine and kept lifting and waited a couple years to go to the doc after noticing that my balls could go into my abdominal cavity lolol. By the time I got the surgery I had to get 3 patches b/c I had a pantaloon hernia (multiple direct/indirect hernias)

[klaery]

I was out for about a month from what I remember, but I couldn't lift well for a few months. Now a few years later I hardly notice it ever. My one piece of advice is to move move move. Take your painkillers and make sure to walk around every half hour starting the day after the surgery. The more you move around the less scar tissue you'll have build up and the less stiff you'll become. You'll bounce back stronger than ever in a few months.

Thanks very much for the info Very encouraging to know that it all came back to normal too. Did they cut you open or go keyhole? From what I have read I am guessing that mine would be keyhole because it is so small but wont know until a little further down the line.

[Squatticus]

was born with a hernia. had surgery in like 8th grade honestly ****s with me on really heavy sets sometimes, i just train core and hope nothing too crazy happens

[prepremed]

they cut me open, have a scar still near my c.awk

if you're getting scope surgery you'll be even better off, you'll be fine. Just down lots of painkillers and really just move and lift as much as you possibly can. Idk how they'll repair yours but mine was done with the kevlar patches/plugs, so the doctor cleared me to do whatever I felt like doing. From what I've seen, people who take it easy after surgery always rehab slowly, while guys like kroc are benching 400+ pounds months after getting triceps reattached.

[prepremed]

***if you die don't sue me I'm protected under the misc docs

[klaery]

Thanks Squatticus. Hope it all stays in place for you too

***if you die don't sue me I'm protected under the misc docs

Haha thanks man My doc is pretty good about lifting so if he thinks it will be ok he will tell me to get back to it.

[AndersonPL1991]

So been ramping up for a comp (first one in over a year) and training was going really well. Squatting 3 times a week and deadlifting each week adding a lot of weight to my lifts. Even bench was going up fast which is the one I have the most trouble with. Anyway on a particularly good training day I was set up for bench as normal. I was doing 100kg (220lb) for 8s as a bit of volume after intensity work. On the 5th rep I felt a tear above my navel. On bench!

Looks like I have a mild hernia. Nothing pokes out through there but I can feel a hole through my abs and can feel squelching/pressure wants to come out through there when I tense my core.

Saw the doc and he agreed with my initial suspicions. Ultrasound on Wednesday. Devestated

So what I want to hear your stories of hernias and powerlifting. Did you come back? How long were you out for? Were you able to train anything pre op and what kind of recovery was involved. Of course I will ask my doc all this as well but just getting a feel for what I am in for.

I had open inguinal hernia surgery on December 4th of 2012, currently about 3 months post op. Had the hernia since I was young, shrugged it off and lifted through it, it eventually developed into chronic pain and I had it operated on as soon as possible. First week was hell, second week saw major improvement, and after that it was all much better, no pain and returned to work 12 days after surgery. Make sure you take stool softeners if you opt to take your pain killers, otherwise you'll go through hell taking a **** (lol). I was fortunate enough to make it back to the gym about 4 weeks after surgery with the doctors okay, lost alot of strength, but with 8 weeks of training I'm now breaking PRs I had set before surgery, and currently 2 weeks out from my next meet. Just take good care of yourself, get the hernia taken care of, rest and ice it often, and keep your nutrition in check to optimize your recovery.

[klaery]

I had open inguinal hernia surgery on December 4th of 2012, currently about 3 months post op. Had the hernia since I was young, shrugged it off and lifted through it, it eventually developed into chronic pain and I had it operated on as soon as possible. First week was hell, second week saw major improvement, and after that it was all much better, no pain and returned to work 12 days after surgery. Make sure you take stool softeners if you opt to take your pain killers, otherwise you'll go through hell taking a **** (lol). I was fortunate enough to make it back to the gym about 4 weeks after surgery with the doctors okay, lost alot of strength, but with 8 weeks of training I'm now breaking PRs I had set before surgery, and currently 2 weeks out from my next meet. Just take good care of yourself, get the hernia taken care of, rest and ice it often, and keep your nutrition in check to optimize your recovery.

Thanks for your input fair few good news stories around so I am a lot less worried now. Thanks guys.