The dreaded hernia

I was about to make a comment, but with such an injury I would not want to give incorrect information. If no one answers here you can try to post the same question at chadnicholls.netforumdisplay.phpOpen ↗

There are some very knowledgable people on this site for injuries related to lifting or how to train around.

best wishes

Thanks for your trouble. I wasn't sure if anyone could relate to such a problem but I confess it worries me somewhat.
At this point I can ride my bike O.K. and there are certain weight-training exercises I can do without problems. For example, I have to do preacher curls instead of normal barbell curls, I'm O.K. with all overhead presses and bench-presses e.t.c. The only thing that worries me is squats as I'm really scared of something tearing with the barbell on my back. I thought maybe I should play safe and do leg-presses?
But this whole issue of hernias has me puzzled. What I want to know is, if my injury is a minor one, isn't there any way of recovering from it without surgery? My doctor simply didn't want to have it surgically corrected at this stage but I'm not sure why.
I know it sounds silly but I feel like an invalid and just hate this whole idea of having to watch I don't strain myself e.t.c.. I knew a guy who had an agonising hernia, had surgery, rested 8 months and now is as fit as he ever was.
I'll justhave to swat up on this topic but would appreciate any info you guys might have on this theme. Thanks.

Felt_Rider said:

I was about to make a comment, but with such an injury I would not want to give incorrect information. If no one answers here you can try to post the same question at chadnicholls.netforumdisplay.phpOpen ↗

There are some very knowledgable people on this site for injuries related to lifting or how to train around.

best wishes

I just checked out your link and, yes, there are other poor souls out there who are as worried as I am. I guess hernia injuries must be more common on weight-training forums than on cycling forums since I imagine a hernia would have to be very very serious if you couldn't even cycle.
I confess that I may be able to take loads of pain climbing hills and pushing myself hard in all weathers, but when it comes to medical matters I'm a total wus. I almost fainted today when having my medical examination and the whole thing concerning hernias just makes me feel wobbly at the knees.
It totally sucks.

Felt_Rider said:

I was about to make a comment, but with such an injury I would not want to give incorrect information. If no one answers here you can try to post the same question at chadnicholls.netforumdisplay.phpOpen ↗

There are some very knowledgable people on this site for injuries related to lifting or how to train around.

best wishes

You may want to consult with a chiropractor certified in sports medicine or in rehab. And, from what I know you should not summit to surgery unless you notice severe neurological deficit such as inability to toe walk or heel walk or even just normal weightbearing activity of walking/standing.

to run the risk of raising the ire of chiropractors everywhere, as hernias are a problem with the structural integrity of the abdominal wall, there is not much that can be done for them short of surgery. if the hernia does not cause significant problems, do nothing about it, otherwise, get it fixed. the earlier it is fixed, the shorter recovery time you will experience

I think I've already had this problem for 10 years. Initially it would only affect me on barbell curls for some reason but I could squat heavy without problems.
Over the last year I've found squatting can be a problem, especially the initial lifting off of the weight from the racks. The symptoms are a kind of tingling and sometimes a slight pull around the testicles. In such a case I'd be forced to cease all exercise.
So, I'm not sure what course of action to take. Maybe if I'm more careful my symptoms will get a lot better. I'm perfectly O.K. cycling but am kind of scared I could wind up being hurt with squats.
As I said, the doctor says my hernia isn't a serious case and is quite slight. But the fact he recommended not straining myself in future doesn't seem like a positive development. I know people who suffered far more serious hernias, had surgery and are completely back to normal. Had the doctor been able to advise me how to get rid of this problem outside of surgical intervention, I'd not be so bothered. All he said is that situps help.
Obviously I need to find out more about this specific problem before making any decision. I'm open to any advice if anyone has more thoughts on the issue.

werzel said:

to run the risk of raising the ire of chiropractors everywhere, as hernias are a problem with the structural integrity of the abdominal wall, there is not much that can be done for them short of surgery. if the hernia does not cause significant problems, do nothing about it, otherwise, get it fixed. the earlier it is fixed, the shorter recovery time you will experience

I dont think he specified that it was abdominal hernia in his initial thread, if its an abdominal hernia and not low back hernia then chiropractic is not the course of treatment. If it is a Low back condition then chiropractic can help.

The problem with many doctors is they do no sort of exercise so they are fine with telling someone not to strain themselves.

In my past injuries I have tried to ignore the weak advice of my family doctor over a doctor that personally has an active lifestyle and hopefully even trains.

The reason I suggested the other forum is because hernias are often related to weightlifting and the forum also has orthopedic surgeons that are members as well as a number of chiropractors. Even though chiropractors are known for spinal type of injuries I have found in many cases they have a broad knowledge base on many type of injuries and medical conditions. One of my former chiropractors was ranked as a national level powerlifter so when I came in with an injury he was able to tell me how to train around the injury and rehab.

I have been getting treatment for a nerve problem in my foot and the podiatrist was helpful in giving me advice to keep me lifting and doing cardio or cycling.

I am not sure how your medical system works and if it will allow you to visit another doctor for a second opinion on treatment, but if you can I would look into it. I know my insurance makes it very difficult and I had to jump through a lot of hoops just to go to a podiatrist for treatment.

You know how helpful my regular family doctor was in treating my foot?
Her advice was buy a different pair of shoes. She was no help at all.

I think you are doing the right thing by asking the question on the web. Hopefully one of those doctors who train will chime in and give you some solid advice.

I'm not sure what kind of injury it is. All I know is that the doctor pushed his fingers around the scrotal area and groin and asked me to cough. He then informed me I did indeed have a slight hernia.

dfvcad said:

I dont think he specified that it was abdominal hernia in his initial thread, if its an abdominal hernia and not low back hernia then chiropractic is not the course of treatment. If it is a Low back condition then chiropractic can help.

Carrera said:

I'm not sure what kind of injury it is. All I know is that the doctor pushed his fingers around the scrotal area and groin and asked me to cough. He then informed me I did indeed have a slight hernia . . . and a small penis!

Sorry, I coudln't resist! 😄

Well, I made some changes to my regime already. I was out on my bike today (in the pouring rain as usual) and yesterday I trained with weights. I did seated barbell presses for shoulders, lateral raises with dumbells, lying tricep extensions, preacher curls, hyper-extensions and situps. I put together all these exercises as they don't cause me any problems.
Generally any seated movement is especially safe in my case.
What specifically worries me is squats. I don't feel safe resting a heavy bar across the shoulders. In the past I would rack off 350 pounds and go right down without even needing a belt. These days my back and hips ache and now I have this hernia - which has come as a bit of a disappointment.
My body seems to be telling me that my heavy weight days may well be over and it may be time to cycle more instead. Still, looking on the bright side, at least I can keep my legs up on the bike and do certain exercises in the gym.
I plan to see a physio maybe tomorrow to get advice. My problem is pretty straightforward. I need to know why surgery isn't recommended for minor hernias (even when doctors seem to suggest a hernia will eventually get worse and require surgery later on). I need to know if these things can be cured by sensibly training round the problem and eliminating any exercise that causes stress. I mean, I've had this for 10 years and I still squatted with 350 pounds which is a lot of weight. Only barbell curls ever caused me any trouble in the past, suggesting my back triggers it off.
So, I basically have these questions. I agree that not many cyclists suffer from this problem but I did discover that the issue is widely discussed on weight-training forums. Some people said thay had the operation and one or two rested and claimed they got better that way.
I'm sure all you cyclists out there can sympathise with my concern as any kind of injury, crash or even tendonitis can be a cause of anxiety. You just have to stay calm and approach the problem logically while staying positive. If Schwarzennegger can train with a heart condition and Lance can come back from cancer, a hernia is minor in comparison I guess.
Any further suggestions are always welcome. Cheers.

Felt_Rider said:

The problem with many doctors is they do no sort of exercise so they are fine with telling someone not to strain themselves.

In my past injuries I have tried to ignore the weak advice of my family doctor over a doctor that personally has an active lifestyle and hopefully even trains.

The reason I suggested the other forum is because hernias are often related to weightlifting and the forum also has orthopedic surgeons that are members as well as a number of chiropractors. Even though chiropractors are known for spinal type of injuries I have found in many cases they have a broad knowledge base on many type of injuries and medical conditions. One of my former chiropractors was ranked as a national level powerlifter so when I came in with an injury he was able to tell me how to train around the injury and rehab.

I have been getting treatment for a nerve problem in my foot and the podiatrist was helpful in giving me advice to keep me lifting and doing cardio or cycling.

I am not sure how your medical system works and if it will allow you to visit another doctor for a second opinion on treatment, but if you can I would look into it. I know my insurance makes it very difficult and I had to jump through a lot of hoops just to go to a podiatrist for treatment.

You know how helpful my regular family doctor was in treating my foot?
Her advice was buy a different pair of shoes. She was no help at all.

I think you are doing the right thing by asking the question on the web. Hopefully one of those doctors who train will chime in and give you some solid advice.

Carrera said:

I was diagnosed today as having a mild hernia. I suspect I've had it for at least 10 years already and it only ever bothered me when doing cheat barbell curls. However, over the last few months it's affected me on squats as well.
My doctor said I'll need surgery at some point to correct it but didn't recommend any intervention at this point as the hernia is supposedly quite mild. However, it certainly does bother me that he recommended I avoid strenuous activity and be more careful how I exert myself in future.
Somehow I get this impression of living my life in cotton wool and I'm not too happy about it.
I knew a guy who got a severe hernia doing squats and was in a lot of pain. He winded up having surgery and ceased physical training for some 8 months. After that, he was able to resume his normal work-load and is fine today.
I wonder if anyone has any knowledge of this problem. If I only have a mild injury is there any way I can treat it so it gets better without the need for surgery? Also, why has the doctor not opted for surgery?
The doctor did recommend I do plenty of situps but said that, unfortunately, there are no exercises that can be done to help heal up this kind of injury. Anyone had a similar problem?

Hi Carrera

I had a hernia operation in April. The best place is London Hernia Centre inNorth London (world-famous). Next best is a keyhollwe operation with plastic lattice-type patch insert which I had on NHS. Worst is standard NHS cot and stitch.

It's one of simplest of all ops. Main danger is infection afterwards - I've had 2 ops and the person in bed next to me got infection each time so its common - so be careful if you have one.

I took 7 days off bike afterwards, then 2 or 3 weeks easy no hills, and started at 8mph etc. They say after 6 months or so you can start lifting weight and heavy objects.

I had my first double hernia for 5 years before I had operation - no reason really, just because I had time. One of hernias came undone and I waited 10 years. Then started getting pain so decided to sacrifice a season.

Hi Carrera, I'm in the same boat. I've had my herina about ten yrs, but recently starting riding again hard and started lifting again.I now can feel it more and more in the area and testicles. I had a phyiscal two weeks ago and my Docter told me about same new surgery that allows you to bouce back in a week and be able to lift as much as you want without pain or worrying about new hernias,but he also said the new techique wouldn't work for all types of herinas. I'm hoping the new techique will work for me.
I've had three herinas in the past and the recovery time is a pain.(no pun intended) It's take months to recover fully. I guess now is the time before spring.
I'm going to see this surgeon Monday and might have it done Friday if it works for me. My Doc said that you don't even have to spend time in the hospital they release you the same day. That would be Cool.I'll let you if you want ? Later

I plan to see a physio today to discuss it. It basically depends whether it has gotten worse or whether it's a temporary strain. I've had the problem for years but, as I said, it would only kick in during cheat curls with a barbell. The problem I have is the doctor doesn't consider the injury severe enough to require surgery - although he did advise not to lift heavy weights.
As Dr Morbius pointed out I imagine there is quite a period of waiting. I admire those of you who are braver than I am. Just the thought of somebody stitching up a hernia makes my knees buckle but some of you guys just seem to grit your teeth and get it done with.
Incidentally, is it true that all hernias require surgery or is there some other means of getting rid of it?

Michuel said:

Hi Carrera

I had a hernia operation in April. The best place is London Hernia Centre inNorth London (world-famous). Next best is a keyhollwe operation with plastic lattice-type patch insert which I had on NHS. Worst is standard NHS cot and stitch.

It's one of simplest of all ops. Main danger is infection afterwards - I've had 2 ops and the person in bed next to me got infection each time so its common - so be careful if you have one.

I took 7 days off bike afterwards, then 2 or 3 weeks easy no hills, and started at 8mph etc. They say after 6 months or so you can start lifting weight and heavy objects.

I had my first double hernia for 5 years before I had operation - no reason really, just because I had time. One of hernias came undone and I waited 10 years. Then started getting pain so decided to sacrifice a season.

Maybe you heard the one about the guy who entered the medical room so the nurse could give an injection.
"Drop your pants, please," she says. "Nothing to worry about. It's only a little [censored]."

Doctor Morbius said:

Sorry, I coudln't resist! 😄

I managed to squat around 200 lbs yesterday for sets of 20 reps. I warmed up with hyper-extensions and I've been riding my bike (doing intense bursts uphill). I'm avoiding any movement or training that involves jerks and lunges.
I still plan to read up as much as I can before I decide on surgery. I also dramatically reduced my coffee intake as I find it acts as a diuretic. I used to drink 20 cups a day but would wake up in the early hours bursting to [censored]. That may well place strain on the testes so I switched to Chinese green tea and just 2 coffees a day.
So far, all I know is that doctors seem reluctant to treat mild hernias surgically which is where my confusion lies.

Carrera said:

I managed to squat around 200 lbs yesterday for sets of 20 reps. I warmed up with hyper-extensions and I've been riding my bike (doing intense bursts uphill). I'm avoiding any movement or training that involves jerks and lunges.
I still plan to read up as much as I can before I decide on surgery. I also dramatically reduced my coffee intake as I find it acts as a diuretic. I used to drink 20 cups a day but would wake up in the early hours bursting to [censored]. That may well place strain on the testes so I switched to Chinese green tea and just 2 coffees a day.
So far, all I know is that doctors seem reluctant to treat mild hernias surgically which is where my confusion lies.

Carrera,
I go under the knife this Friday. I get the easy and fast oper. I walk out a hour later a free man. Doc says give it a week and I'm good to start hammering the hills and wts. SWEET
I'll ask the Doc why you couldn't have the same oper.

993 98C2S

Thanks, I'd appreciate it if you asked for me.
My own symptoms are a kind of pull to the right of the testicle if I ever strain. Seems to be triggered from my lower back somehow. In fact, I was only just perusing what Google has to offer on the topic.
Trouble is, my own doctor feels my hernia ain't seious enough to have surgery done. He says my hernia has 10 years life yet till it becomes a sufficient enough problem to be operated on.
All I can do is search for info on forums and then decide whether my doctor's advice is correct or whether I should just get shot of it.
Good luck with your op but make sure you take it easy after. You don't want to screw up the surgery through impatience.

bonefly said:

Carrera,
I go under the knife this Friday. I get the easy and fast oper. I walk out a hour later a free man. Doc says give it a week and I'm good to start hammering the hills and wts. SWEET
I'll ask the Doc why you couldn't have the same oper.

993 98C2S

For what it's worth, I had arthroscopic hernia surgery in early October and was able to ride my bike again nine days later. All in all, it wasn't too bad. If you wind up going the surgical route, I'd encourage you to not worry too much.