Okay, I know this is a topic covered before, but I have seen it mostly in regards to abdominal exercise and a j pouch. Do any of you do a lot of abdominal/core exercises? I have always avoided them, but one of the instructors at the gym (I usually do body combat and 360) told me that I should be able to do all of the abdominal exercises as long as I take it easy. I've been doing them, but the other day, I felt a few "tugs" during. I'm in fairly good shape otherwise, alternating between cardio and weights and the classes. What have been your experiences or have your surgeons made specific recommendations?

Oh, I have a perm end ileo. Thank you!

Hi Judith,

I have aquired several hernias over the 13 years since my j-pouch surgery, 3 of which have occured since I've had Wee Willie (my perminent end ileo). I have had 9 (about to have my 10th for yet another hernia) abdominal operations in total and each one has weakened my abdominal muscles even further so I am more prone to them than most.

I used to do an excersise regime called Body Balance which is a combination of Yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates but had to stop because a lot of the excersises involved the abdominal muscles as well as core muscles. Even though I thought I was taking it easy with them I still managed to get both a peristomal hernia and a mid line incisional hernia. I thought it was safe but obviously not safe enough for me.

I even managed to give myself a heria once by using a slendertone belt. Now who would think that something so innocently inactive could give you a hernia?

Anyway, the moral of my story is please take things really slowly and don't push yourself too hard with the abdominal excersises. Hernia repairs are no fun.

Good luck and take care.

Shell

Shell, thank you for your response. I remember seeing through the years about your hernias but I couldn't remember what caused them.
I was skeptical to do the abdominals so I've always abstained but I frequent the classes taught by one particular instructor and we recently conversed about why I abstain from the abs. She asked a physical therapist friend who said "oh, she shouldn't have any troubles with them?." I wondered "what does a pt know about colectomies, j pouches, and ileostomies, but I thought well maybe I'm being too cautious.
Today, I felt some weird tugging during class, so I stopped what I was doing and now the rest of the day, I can't say I have pain, but definitely a more strained feeling when my stoma is active. I think I'm going back to ducking out during ab work.
Thank you again for your wise advice. Any others have an experience to share??

I avoid direct abdominal work because I do feel some tugging. But I'm sure you find many activities work your abs at a lesser level. I do little things throughout the day that will engage those muscles. When sitting up from lying I don't use my arms, when lowering myself to the floor to kneel I do so slowly against a chair or couch and flex, or just doing revised pilates for the beginner in short sessions rather than the whole time. If you make a conscious effort you can engage your abs all day and get the result you want. I would stay away from direct ab workouts just to be safe.

Well I have a temp ileostomy and I'm a physical therapist I guess I should provide some input.
We have an opening in our abdominal wall so herniation is a problem if you strain too much. Ask Shell she knows.
Marcene has the perfect PT response. You can engage your abs in many ways without doing traditional ab exercises.
Its important to realize that there are very few movements that your body makes that do not involve your abdominals in some fashion.
Try doing squats while tightening your abs or raising your arms above your head or both at the same time.Do them with control and think about bracing your your abs.Its a decent workout but shouldn't increase the intra-abdominal pressure as much a a crunch or leg lifts.As your abs get stronger you should be able to increase the intensity of your exercises
We prescribe many lower abdominal exercises to our patients with back pain who can't and shouldn't do traditional ab ex's
So you will be protecting your back as well as your front.

Thank you to both Marcene and Wax. Excellent ideas. Wax, I hope you didn't take offense to what I said about "what would a pt know about, etc". I didn't mean anything derogatory by it, I just thought it best to ask all of you, and if I was really on top of things, my colonrectal surgeon.
I am going to avoid any crunches, etc, but concentrate on what you both said. I don't seem to get the tugging sensation from "hovers". Maybe I will stop at those.
Thank you again for your great advice!!

No offense taken Judith. I think only if you have a stoma can you truly appreciate what it feels like. Before I had my ileostomy I probably wouldn't have taken a PT's word as gospel either