Avoiding a hernia

"Al" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Question for the experts: Is there a technique one can apply to weight
lifting exercises to minimize the chances of getting a hernia? In
particular: deadlifts... Is there a specific way to breathe or hold
one's breath, etc?

Many thanks,

Al

Still searching for something to worry about, eh?

"Al" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Question for the experts: Is there a technique one can apply to weight
lifting exercises to minimize the chances of getting a hernia? In
particular: deadlifts... Is there a specific way to breathe or hold
one's breath, etc?

Many thanks,

Al

I am not a doctor - this is based solely on my own experience. I've got a
hereditary weakness in this area - my grandfather, my father, me, and both
my sons all required hernia surgery. Although me and my sons had ours at
early ages and so far none of us has needed a further repair since, my
weaker side still bothers me from time to time and I'm pretty sure that a
thorough examination would show the tissue in that area isn't what it should
be.

What's worked for me is strengthening the muscles in the area. I think -
someone will correct me if I'm wrong - the hernia is in fascia or
fascia-like tissue, basically stuff that's as strong as it is and you can't
do much to strengthen. But the muscles that, at least to me, feel like
they're on the outside of that fascia can be strengthened, and doing so - at
least in my admitedly sometimes delusional mind - seems like it can lessen
the risk of rupturing there. No anatomy references here - this is just my
own supposition and mental imagery. Maybe the muscles are on the inside, or
maybe the fasica in question is in both places.

Specifically, I practice the Valsalva maneuver or what Pavel calls Power
Breathing, and what many lifters call "staying tight". Before I deadlift, I
try to breath as deeply/low into my abdomen as possible while not letting it
expand to the front at all. This increases intra-abdominal pressure, which
is good for the deadlift, and it strengthens the muscles we're talking
about, which will help with deadlifts in the long run and might help with
hernia prevention as well.

David Cohen, how'd I do? 🙂

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com

Steve Freides said:

"Al" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Question for the experts: Is there a technique one can apply to weight
lifting exercises to minimize the chances of getting a hernia? In
particular: deadlifts... Is there a specific way to breathe or hold
one's breath, etc?

Many thanks,

Al

I am not a doctor - this is based solely on my own experience. I've got a
hereditary weakness in this area - my grandfather, my father, me, and both
my sons all required hernia surgery. Although me and my sons had ours at
early ages and so far none of us has needed a further repair since, my
weaker side still bothers me from time to time and I'm pretty sure that a
thorough examination would show the tissue in that area isn't what it should
be.

What's worked for me is strengthening the muscles in the area. I think -
someone will correct me if I'm wrong - the hernia is in fascia or
fascia-like tissue, basically stuff that's as strong as it is and you can't
do much to strengthen. But the muscles that, at least to me, feel like
they're on the outside of that fascia can be strengthened, and doing so - at
least in my admitedly sometimes delusional mind - seems like it can lessen
the risk of rupturing there. No anatomy references here - this is just my
own supposition and mental imagery. Maybe the muscles are on the inside, or
maybe the fasica in question is in both places.

Specifically, I practice the Valsalva maneuver or what Pavel calls Power
Breathing, and what many lifters call "staying tight". Before I deadlift, I
try to breath as deeply/low into my abdomen as possible while not letting it
expand to the front at all. This increases intra-abdominal pressure, which
is good for the deadlift, and it strengthens the muscles we're talking
about, which will help with deadlifts in the long run and might help with
hernia prevention as well.

David Cohen, how'd I do? 🙂

I'm not Cohen, and I don't play him on the internet, but I did find a
link which helped me understand this better:
http://www.med.mun.ca/anatomyts/digest/abwall.htm
I think it basically implies that Steve isn't all wrong.

- bc

"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

"Al" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Question for the experts: Is there a technique one can apply to weight
lifting exercises to minimize the chances of getting a hernia? In
particular: deadlifts... Is there a specific way to breathe or hold
one's breath, etc?

I am not a doctor - this is based solely on my own experience. I've got a
hereditary weakness in this area - my grandfather, my father, me, and both
my sons all required hernia surgery. Although me and my sons had ours at
early ages and so far none of us has needed a further repair since, my
weaker side still bothers me from time to time and I'm pretty sure that a
thorough examination would show the tissue in that area isn't what it
should be.

What's worked for me is strengthening the muscles in the area. I think -
someone will correct me if I'm wrong - the hernia is in fascia or
fascia-like tissue, basically stuff that's as strong as it is and you
can't do much to strengthen. But the muscles that, at least to me, feel
like they're on the outside of that fascia can be strengthened, and doing
so - at least in my admitedly sometimes delusional mind - seems like it
can lessen the risk of rupturing there. No anatomy references here - this
is just my own supposition and mental imagery. Maybe the muscles are on
the inside, or maybe the fasica in question is in both places.

Specifically, I practice the Valsalva maneuver or what Pavel calls Power
Breathing, and what many lifters call "staying tight". Before I deadlift,
I try to breath as deeply/low into my abdomen as possible while not
letting it expand to the front at all. This increases intra-abdominal
pressure, which is good for the deadlift, and it strengthens the muscles
we're talking about, which will help with deadlifts in the long run and
might help with hernia prevention as well.

David Cohen, how'd I do? 🙂

Good rhythm, easy to dance to, I give it an 86.

And basically, good general advice, applicable to a number of problems,
besides hernias. For example, you could have either a congenital weak spinal
problem, or a prior injury, that makes you prone to back injury, and can
reduce, but not eliminate, the risk by strengthening the surrounding
muscles.

David

In article <[email hidden]>,

bc said:

I'm not Cohen, and I don't play him on the internet, but I did find a
link which helped me understand this better:
http://www.med.mun.ca/anatomyts/digest/abwall.htm
I think it basically implies that Steve isn't all wrong.

He's gotten much smarter since he started eating meat again :-)

Quoted message said:

- bc

--
Will Brink @ http://www.brinkzone.com/

Al said:

Question for the experts: Is there a technique one can apply to weight
lifting exercises to minimize the chances of getting a hernia? In
particular: deadlifts... Is there a specific way to breathe or hold
one's breath, etc?

Many thanks,

Al

The only thing I can recommend is maintain good form and control over
the bar. If you lose control during a heavy DL it can easily cause
problems. Usually I find deads to actually help prevent back related
injuries in normal day to day life.

Eric

<[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Al said:

Question for the experts: Is there a technique one can apply to weight
lifting exercises to minimize the chances of getting a hernia? In
particular: deadlifts... Is there a specific way to breathe or hold
one's breath, etc?

Quoted message said:

The only thing I can recommend is maintain good form and control over
the bar. If you lose control during a heavy DL it can easily cause
problems. Usually I find deads to actually help prevent back related
injuries in normal day to day life.

Which is excellent advice for someone who asked about back injuries.

Unfortunately, Al asked about hernias.

Don't you just hate when that happens?

David

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The only thing I can recommend is maintain good form and control over
the bar. If you lose control during a heavy DL it can easily cause
problems. Usually I find deads to actually help prevent back related
injuries in normal day to day life.

Which is excellent advice for someone who asked about back injuries.

Unfortunately, Al asked about hernias.

Don't you just hate when that happens?

David

Its good for both. If your losing control of the bar either or could
happen.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The only thing I can recommend is maintain good form and control over
the bar. If you lose control during a heavy DL it can easily cause
problems. Usually I find deads to actually help prevent back related
injuries in normal day to day life.

Which is excellent advice for someone who asked about back injuries.

Unfortunately, Al asked about hernias.

Don't you just hate when that happens?

David

BTW I said "cause problems." Meaning any kind of problem. The last
sentence was just a comment.

<[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The only thing I can recommend is maintain good form and control over
the bar. If you lose control during a heavy DL it can easily cause
problems. Usually I find deads to actually help prevent back related
injuries in normal day to day life.

Which is excellent advice for someone who asked about back injuries.

Unfortunately, Al asked about hernias.

Don't you just hate when that happens?

Quoted message said:

BTW I said "cause problems." Meaning any kind of problem. The last
sentence was just a comment.

So, Eric, how'd the Olympic Backpeddling Team tryouts go?

🙂

David

<[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The only thing I can recommend is maintain good form and control over
the bar. If you lose control during a heavy DL it can easily cause
problems. Usually I find deads to actually help prevent back related
injuries in normal day to day life.

Which is excellent advice for someone who asked about back injuries.

Unfortunately, Al asked about hernias.

Don't you just hate when that happens?

Its good for both. If your losing control of the bar either or could
happen.

No, not really.

David

"WillBrink" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

bc said:

I'm not Cohen, and I don't play him on the internet, but I did find a
link which helped me understand this better:
http://www.med.mun.ca/anatomyts/digest/abwall.htm
I think it basically implies that Steve isn't all wrong.

He's gotten much smarter since he started eating meat again :-)

I really have quite the taste for meat these days - not uncommon for me to
put away a pound of meat at a dinner these days.

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

- bc

--
Will Brink @ http://www.brinkzone.com/