Can I do sit-ups with an abdominal hernia?

[eariel84]

I am a 25 year old mother of 3. I am in decent shape, meaning I am not over weigh. I have an abdominal hernia that is about 2 inches that causes occasional pain. I am pretty active, usually in the warm months and since being diagnosed as having a hernia I do not want to do anything to make it any bigger. After exercising my hernia doesn't feel any different. I haven't found out what makes it poke out and become painful but exercising doesn't seem to. I've also heard that if it doesn't hurt than it probably isn't a problem. Will sit-ups help or hurt my hernia?

[Dr Vinod]

Hello!  

I would suggest walking for you along with Yoga and some exercises in the sitting and sleeping position. You can go for 2-5 km walks regularly without exerting yourself.

Get yourself examined by the surgeon to rule out any infection and take all the possible suggestions for the hernia repair from your surgeon.

Take care!

[tbarnard91]

I had a lap chole, and 2 and half to 3 weeks later got pregnant with twins.  5 years later while lying down and trying to do a situp there is this bulge that comes out above my belly button, do you think it is a hernia, and can I continue to do any situps?

Sincerely,
Tracy

[Dr Vinod]

Hello!

The probability of hernia is more as you had a surgical intervention and had an incision in the past.
I would suggest you to check by looking at a mirror and coughing and if a bulge comes out and if it can be reduced by pushing it inside then there is a gap in your abdominal musculature and you have to get it corrected surgically.

Hernia is the bulge which comes out through any weakness in your abdominal wall.

Take care!

[thefixx66]

Should leg lifts be done with an abd brace to hold the area as flat as possible? I have a heavy duty back brace with perfect velcro to hold in the fat and hernia, but since it's a back brace the front is to small to cover the entire hernia area, I put a small board there and seems to work fine. I browsed hernia belts which are wider in the front, but customer complaints about them rolling up while on makes me wary of buying one.
Should I use anything that works to confine, support or otherwise hold in the hernia while doing leg lifts in order to get muscles strong enough to hold in on it's own? seems to me doing excercises while the hernia is poking out won't push it back in while the muscles are strengthening? but I'm not a doc. :)

[Dr Vinod]

Hello!

With hernia I would not suggest any heavy duty exercise and only after hernia repair and when you complete a year you should put any pressure to the abdominal area. You can do other types of exercises and cardio activities which do not put pressure on your abdomen.

I would want you to discuss further with a surgeon after an examination about your hernia because I have to understand if it is abdominal hiatus hernia? Inguinal hernia? Femoral hernia? Direct or indirect hernia? Reducible or irreducible hernia? and what is the diagnosis and the reasons for you hernia.

Take care!

[Miss_Holzie]

Hi there, I was told I had an umbilical hernia two years ago, although it doesn't hurt at all but when I excercise my abs It protroudes massivley!!! However I really want to keep my stomach in shape without it's appearance getting any worse, I read u said excersise wud make it go away is that in every case or just some cases as I find it hard to believe as mine actually is
worse after ab crunches, sit ups etc! Can u advise me thanks???