50yo, Sat & Sun MTBer. Past 4 weeks its been painful in top of leg/groin tying right shoe but no pain otherwise. Noticed lump above groin y’day after ride and pushed it this morning before ride to hear a “squelch”! Ride was fine and will call Doc on Monday but what’s the likely recommendation? Don’t want to miss time in the saddle.

I was out riding the day before I had a double hernia Op.

Was about 6 weeks before I was back on the bike

Sounds pretty similar to what my dad had. He rode like it for ages (years! He hates going to Dr).

Finally gave up and went. He had op in Jan. Was back on the bike about a few weeks later. He is riding well and pain free. Even can get on the drops of his road bike but spends more time on his ht these days after getting an xx1 crankset fitted.

Reason why I added the detail is he is 75!

Hope it goes well at the Dr.

Not sure about the squelching noise (yuk!) but have had inguinal hernia operations on right and left side. Both were recommended 6-8 weeks no major excersise, I went with 8 weeks just to be sure.

The first one took around 1 year from when I first noticed it to the operation. Was still on the bike during that time and it wasn’t too bad. The second one was about the same, and included a trip to Moab not long before I had the op. I used a hernia support belt when riding and it really helped, though did feel a bit weird.

Only thing I will say is I’ve found post op rehab tricky both times. It’s hard to get advice on how you can strengthen that lower abdominal area without overdoing things (ie sit-ups etc are too much)

Hope it all gets sorted anyway, they aren’t much fun to have 🙁

I had one in the same place a few years ago, the pain got too bad to do my job, I went to the consultant and they where talking 3 months wait until I said “how much to go private” (£1500 well spent). Then it was “I’m sorry we can’t do it til next week”. I think it was a couple of weeks til I could ride the bike after the op.

double repair for me too . Off the bike for 3 months and off work for 1 month.
Could barely move the following day , was keyhole and I was expecting to bounce back really quickly.
Buy a few tins of prunes next time you are in Tesco.

Not an expert by any means, but had similar symptoms to you, only the lump popped out when I coughed which was how the Doc diagnosed a hernia.

That was in the Sept, operation in Nov, back riding and playing hockey in mid-Jan, all NHS.

They used a mesh which seems to have lasted about 3 years, but now getting symptoms back so off for a check up.

my memory says hernias do vary quite a bit – had one (inguinal?) about 5 yrs ago 1 side only probably from coughing problem with sinus (as above?) specialist seemed to think riding Ok up to op but I ditched road in favour of spinning on mtb. Afterwards not easy – like roll out of bed for 4 weeks as getting to sitting hard – out riding in about 8 weeks – think a year before tried a pull up or sit up ! good news was yes you can but give it time – only long term thing is that like to have a good pee before an uphill – suspect that the inserted mesh pushes a bit on the bladder
any how not a disaster and I do recall the notes I got said no laying paving stones so that’s a job dealt with

hope all goes well

Thanks for the comments even if they’re slightly worse than I was hoping. Ill update post NHS doc appointment.

no its not so bad – i’d have been same age with mine and I don’t even think about it now, just don’t push it too soon – did a lot of walking and found some new trails so not all bad

Big thumbs up for Mr Normal Man Senior!

Had open surgery on an inguinal last year. Ride the London to Brighton off road event three weeks later albeit in pain which probably wasn’t a great idea but seemed sensible at the time. Paced it and took if fairly easy but rode everything.

Get it done. Bit of a pain to begin with but it gets better. I still sometimes get a bit of grief from it but its much better now

Just take it easy for two weeks and slowly increase things. Eat lots of fruit. I found going to the loo (number two’s) an eye watering experience after all the tablets and stuff.

Start with walking and increase from there. I was in a turbo after two weeks but found cycling had a tendency to irritate and open the cut.

Good luck with it. It’s really not that bad.

Just check that when you push it and it goes in cough and if it pops back out it will need repairing. Simple operation takes 40 mins. Sometimes they put mesh in sometimes they just stitch it inside. You can still exrcise if its not too sore. But keep your eye on it, don’t want it to get strangled as this is a Emergency if this happens.

I’ve had two umbilicals and a inguinal. Had to take 4 weeks off work, but I work on a Hospital ward and couldn’t do any moving and handling of patients.

Hernia confirmed. No heavy lifting, but the Canyon is pretty light so no prob there then. Awaiting NHS surgery slot. Thanks for all the posts.

Same as everyone above has stated.. the best thing i purchased was this..

http://www.procterhealthcare.co.uk/2149-oppo-hernia-truss-support-single-sided?gclid=CPeWkrKDirkCFQTMtAodfmwALw

not the nicest looking contraptions, but let me go about my day to day buisness (i lift a lot) and could still go out on bike! 😀

I’ve had my inguinal hernia for 3 years. It didnt bother me until a year ago when I had a heavy gardening sesh and started getting a bit of pain. Thats since gone though. Saving up the funds to go private @ the British Hernia Centre this winter, had a few friends who went NHS and had a lot of post op pain, some still to this day 🙁 It also seems very common to have the op and then get a hernia on the other side as the pressure needs to be released elsewhere and it finds another weakness in muscle wall.

I still go to the gym, still ride 2-3 times a week, don’t get any pain, just some days its there, others its not.

I’ve been doing the Pilates bridge which I rate as the best abs exercise for a hernia, you don’t want anything which creates intra abdominal pressure and pushes outwards, so this is ideal…

After this I won’t see the hernia for a few days.

Also start taking a few prunes each day with breakfast etc less chance of it protruding if everything is running smoothly.

I had inguinal hernias on left and right hand side – went private, very nice back on bike after 3 months. Then went one better and had a Spegellian Hernia – went NHS sorted within 3 weeks of going to the GP again back on bike after 3 months. Still get the odd twinge, nothing serious though.

All problems started when I hit 40

My first two three were nhs two done at Bolton inguinals left and right both fine, first go at umbilical done by Royal Blackburn, was stitched too tight and burst out the side, the 2nd attempt was done private at BMI Beaumont in Bolton with mesh and has stayed put for 3 years now, still a hard lump but that’s scar tissue.
Good luck it’s a routine op, no lifting, not even a shopping bag for two weeks at least.

Good luck with the op. just take it nice and easy for a while 🙂

Had a hernia op on both sides ten days ago. Was on my commuter today for the first time. It was alright, just have to be careful swinging the leg over the saddle. Doctors adviced me not to lift heavy things (i.e. over 5kg) for about 4 weeks. So I’ll wait with anything else than my commuting routine.

Had my inguinal operated on 3 months to the day from seeing the quack. I was told it would be keyhole but was open surgery with mesh, and signed off for 3 weeks, I was in a lot of discomfort and got signed off for a further week, my manager went mad apparently as she was only expecting me to be off a fortnight (which is what the hospital told me beforehand).

My fitness vanished over those 2 months or so as I wasn’t ready to ride even after being signed off as an out patient, then I went through a falling off period, took me a while to get my fitness and confidence back, still get a niggle now and again but fine otherwise.

Oh, and the bruising will be interesting..

The bruising was definitely very interesting