Exercise has many benefits both physically and mentally and plays a huge role in my daily routine and always has done even pre stoma surgery.
For me exercise is an escape when I am struggling mentally and even though some days when I’m feeling not so good I like to go a walk or stretch my body as I know this will always help.
When people hear the word exercise they automatically think, gym, weights, classes etc and yes that is exercise but there are so many different types of exercise which include moving your body that don’t involve any of the above and it’s important to find what works for you and not to just do something as you see someone else doing it if it’s not helping or beneficial to you in any way.
After stoma surgery I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to do the types of exercise I did before and this wasn’t the case. But even though I could have trained how I did before I chose not to and have completely changed how I now train as my goals are different. What I thought before has completely changed as I now understand what my body needs and work with it rather than against it and this is so important.
I didn’t start training until 3 months post surgery as I was afraid and as an instructor/ personal trainer, I could only imagine how people without my experience with exercise must feel and that’s why I choose to share to my knowledge online and then eventually I took up the classes to help those post surgery.
Post surgery you are told to strengthen your core to prevent hernias but you are also told not to do this or do that as it may cause a hernia so knowing what is right or good for you when it comes to exercise can be tough to work out so my advice would be to begin with your basic core exercises, one of them being just recognising what and where your core is and how to use it.
If I where to point out where your core is, from the outside, you would place your hands in a downward triangle in the centre of your tummy below your waist line but with the top or fingers which is the top of the triangle right at the tip of your pubic bone (see pic). Your core is not a superficial muscle it’s muscles deep down below that can be weakened through surgery. By improving these muscles it will help overall with balance, stability, backache, posture and hernia prevention.
Doing these exercises alongside some walking at beginning and wearing your support wear, will help to improve tolerance, strength and endurance which is needed before anything else.
Having the courage to workout is a big thing after stoma surgery and you are definitely not alone if you are struggling with the idea of this but taking the first steps properly is so important and getting back to normal life especially if you trained before. You shouldn’t let your stoma have an effect on anything you do or have done in the past.
