About 4 weeks ago I had abdominal surgery (not laparoscopic) to correct a bowel obstruction. I anticipate I will be given the OK to start training again when I see the surgeon at my 6-week post operative checkup. I have been permitted to walk since the operation and I have been walking between 2 and 4+ miles per day totaling almost 20 miles per week. I am very happy with the care I received from my surgeon but I am not his typical patient as a lot of his patients are being treated for obesity related problems. No disrespect to him, but training programs are not his area of expertise.
Prior to the surgery I had been running around 25, biking around 125 and swimming between 3 and 4 miles per week. In addition I try and to do some stretching on a daily basis and do some strength training about twice a week.
My question is how should I go about restarting my training? I don’t want to over do it and end up causing myself more problems. Should I start by focusing on non-impact activities (swimming and biking) before resuming my running? How should I handle the build? Ideally I would like to be back to a solid base building program by mid January. Is that realistic? What about “core building” exercises such as Pilates?
I would appreciate your thoughts and any possible sources of information.
How did you end up with a bowell obstruction? I don’t remember seeing many of these (during residency) on anyone doing anything close to the training you are doing (so I am assuming what you must look like).
Anyway, really depends. Obviously you don’t have a colostomy, but did you have any bowell removed? Any problems coming back “online” with eating (from the ice to liquid to soft etc.).
Anyway, best of luck - no way to answer though, sorry.
first, I would take it easy. I also had to restart training after a 2months off period due to illness. I started with swimming. Like you mentioned, it is low impact, and it is very valuable as you train your “lung” muscles as you exhale against the higher pressure of the water. Then I added some cycling, went hiking and increase my walking distances. Great minds think alike Now, it’s time for me to buy new running shoes and start running.
I think the key to restarting training is to be patient. Don’t overdue it and always have fun at it.
A small section of the small bowel was severely inflamed and at the end of the inflammation the bowel had collapsed. When they gently squeezed the inflamed section, the collapsed section “popped” back open and everything started working fine. They didn’t have to remove any of the bowel (YEAH!). All of the tests have come back inconclusive. No problems eating anything with the exception of what you would expect when restarting the whole digestive system after 6 days of IVs!
I would listen to your surgeon, but also have a dialog with him. I’ve had abdominal surgery, both the big cut and laparoscopic (but for very different reasons than your surgery). The non-lap surgery took a good 6 weeks before I could “jog” and even longer before I could think about doing any core type exercises. The laparascopic surgery was last year and funny enough, biking was the last thing to come back. It was quite uncomfortable to bend over, even on the road bike. I was walking the day after surgery and back in the pool by the end of that week. Some easy jogging the next week, but I didn’t get out on the bike for about 3 weeks. Another thing I found was that the intestines, etc. got moved around during surgery and it took them a few weeks to “find their home”, so after I was feeling really good, I started having terrible stomach pains as everything “settled”. Luckily that went away after about a week.
Still sounds a little odd since diverticulitis is not usually a surgical issue, but…
Since you didn’t have any bowell removed, you are really only at risk for wound dehiscence or possibly later adhesions. You could certainly swim easy, probably even cycle easy. I’d hold off on running until you see your surgeon since he knows the details of everything from his (or resident’s) closure to lab work.
Use the “bounce back” mentality for some really great base training this winter!
I had an epigastric and an inguinal hernia operated on in March. I was back on the bike after 2 weeks and running after 6 weeks. In retrospect, I feel I may have pushed things a bit. Recovery from surgery varies from individual to individual and you really need to pay attention to how things feel when attempting to start training again. You know your body and its capabilities better than anyone else.
Funny enough a few days ago I also had a bowel obstruction - turns out a piece of omentum was stuck down to the pelvis and I had changed my diet to decrease inflammation in my big toe (which is not gout) but a tendonitis I get every so often. It usually responds to increased fruit and vegies and did this time too;however, i went a little overboard on the celery and ended up with likely a fibrous bolus that got stuck in a narrowed area of my terminal ileum. they had to laproscopically resect this and took my healthy appendix for good measure. My bowels have been slow to recover but are moving and I had similar concerns retraining - especially since this is the best shape I’ve been in in 10 years. Just did Halfiron and set a new pr of 5:02 at age 47. Had another half iron and a few other races I have had to blow off. Hopefully I can get back to full force by August - good luck to the others too!
Gordo
Now, it’s time for me to buy new running shoes and start running.