Just 8 days ago I had surgery to repair an umbilical hernia. 1 days ago, staples out. Whole area around belly button is kind of hard, it’s sore bending down etc. I expect, just 1 wk on from surgery, this is normal but:

1) Has anyone else had surgery to repair an umbilical hernia?
2) How soon did you recover and did you have solid areas around the belly button?
3) How soon did you return to riding?

I am walking fine generally, albeit slightly hunched. I am mainly painless apart from bruising and these solid areas. I’m not worried, I just wonder what other people’s experiences are.

Cheers

I just wonder what other people’s experiences are.

You’re going to find they vary. A hernia is a hernia but the surgery varies from surgeon to surgeon and depending on when are where they trained.

Advice from the docs tends to be a bit vague regarding to recovery as a lot of it is subjective – what you want to be sure of is that any activity or exercise isn’t going to un-do the surgery and thats worth paying attention to. Pain is in the eye of the beholder though so how soon you can exercise happily (rather than safely) is really going to be up to you.

Get back into whatever you’re doing gently though. I found (with Peri-umbilical surgery) that the period of rest and general gingerness about moving lessens you’re core strength quite significantly as pain deters you from using those muscles – when you do start to get active again you can be pretty prone to lower back problems as a result.

I had one fixed 4 years ago. was living with it for 10 years.
went in in the morning, had it done at 1pm, was home by 5pm.
had a week feet up and was back riding steady after that.

Get back into whatever you’re doing gently though. I found (with Peri-umbilical surgery) that the period of rest and general gingerness about moving lessens you’re core strength quite significantly as pain deters you from using those muscles – when you do start to get active again you can be pretty prone to lower back problems as a result

Thanks maccruiskeen. I did a long walk yesterday and found my lower back seemed to take more strain than normal as you suggested it might. I might try the turbo a bit over the weekend, slow and steady short ride – to judge recovery to date. But as you both say, steady return, don’t go mad!

BiL had one done on Monday – off work for 3 weeks, no driving for 2 and NO lifting for about a month! Mind you, he’s a tad on the hefty side for his height 😆

I have one now, doctor agreed I can leave it so long as it’s not giving me any pain. Thought I’d get it sorted at the end of last season but never got around to it.

Interesting. My doc thinks I have one. Scans next week.
If so ,I’ll take the three weeks off and hope for Ton’s recovery time. 🙂