When I first realized I had a hernia, I started doing certain exercises to help control it. Basically it was an ab workout consisting of a couple different exercises. I wasn’t sure if what I was doing was helping or not, so I decided that I would stop doing everything, and get a clean starting point for trying to cure my hernia.
I was still running, surfing, paddling my prone paddle board, and stretching, but nothing directly targeted at my abs. Once I stopped the ab workout, I was actually really surprised at how quickly my hernia was affecting me a lot more. Six months ago I was at a point where I could wake up, eat breakfast, and go for a couple hours as long as I wasn’t lifting anything, then I would start feeling the pressure where my hernia is. At that point I knew it was time to put on the hernia belt.
It’s been about 5 months since I stopped the ab exercises, and now as soon as I get up out of bed I feel the pressure and I need to put on the hernia belt. Even if I’m just sitting at my desk working, I can feel the pressure and it will start to bulge out. It’s very annoying! It doesn’t really hurt, it’s just uncomfortable. Now I know for sure that certain exercises will definitely have an affect on how I can manage the hernia.
Now that I have gone this long without doing anything for my abs and have a baseline of how bad the hernia is, I am going to start adding in some exercises to target the area. My idea is this: If the muscles are separating in the inguinal canal allowing the tissue to protrude through, then I am going to try and target the muscle where the separation is and build it up. I’ve read that it is not possible to target this inguinal ligament directly, but I know I can do exercises to build muscle around it so that the tissue doesn’t protrude through. I am going to start with this workout designed for Taylor Knox, the pro surfer who had a really bad car accident when he was younger that almost left him paralyzed.
I think this is a great all around core workout which will not only help strengthen the whole area that the hernia is affecting, but will also help with my surfing. It’s available on amazon if you want to check it out. I’m going add in a few extra exercises such as the ab vacuum. I will also add in a leg lift where I’ll lay flat on my back with my feet shoulder width apart, and lift one leg at a time up and towards the midline of my body, which should target the inguinal area pretty good. I’ll do two sets of twenty five with each leg.
I am also going to start working out with weights a few days a week. I’m not trying to get huge, but I just want to keep my strength up. I really don’t like working out with weights, but I have been starting to feel weak lately doing normal things. So, I will dedicate some of my time to strength training. I’m going to start with basic exercises like, bench, squat, leg extensions, shoulder press, lat pull downs, tricep extensions, and curls. Two sets of each to muscle failure. It should be a quick workout which will only take me 20 minutes or so.
I will also continue paddling a few days a week to keep in shape for surfing. It’s summer time now. We don’t get waves here usually, so I have to paddle to stay in surfing shape. I have a 16’8″ Bark Prone paddle board that I use that is like the one picture below. I usually paddle about 4-5 miles. You switch between paddling on your stomach to paddling on your knees. When on your knees it is a great ab workout.
Exercises I will do:
Sunday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
Off | Strength Training | Paddle: 4-5 Miles | Taylor Knox Core Workout | Paddle: 4-5 Miles | Taylor Knox Core Workout | Strength Training |
I will do this for three months and see if I notice a difference in how my hernia feels. On top of this, I’m going to where the hernia belt as soon as I wake up in the morning. This way the hernia does not have a chance to bulge out. I’ll keep you updated on my progress!
Hey George, I just can’t thank you enough for your work here! I was trying to figure it out on my own as you have and was really ever so happy to have found your site. There was one thing that I stumbled across in my search for solutions and I wanted to see if you or anyone else had any thoughts on it.?
https://www.taoofherbs.com/articles/146/HerniaRemedy.htm?source=google&keyword=HerniaRemedy&gclid=CjwKCAjw5vz2BRAtEiwAbcVIL_w3tLGTlmc_vScciGdAn2Pm7yMQXpidO5qdW0fRSD532wXLzbU17BoCfloQAvD_BwE
I have not tried it or talked to anyone who has, but if you do, please let me know how it goes for you.
I used that BRIGHT NUTRITION HerniaCare supplement last year. I used it only once in conjunction with a BRACE ABILITY hernia belt and a topical ointment called DR. DONG Hernia Gone. Now I only used this regimen once but I can say this: the hernia belt was the only aid that I can say was the most useless. Even when I got fed up with it and stopped wearing it I still felt a difference from still using the ointment and the supplement. Now was that healing more from the HerniaCare or from the Hernia Gone? HA! THAT I don’t know. 😉
Hey,
This blog is really great.
I have been diagnosed with inguinal hernia a month back. And I want to try natural ways to cure it for some time.
My right side is moderate symptomatic, but left side is asymptomatic and is only seen during strain or cough of i keep my fingers there.
Can you please help to share on what I should expect and what was your hernia state when you started this routine.
Thanks
When my hernia was at it’s worst, it was about the size of two golf balls together. It would pop out as soon as I would get out of bed in the morning, and I could not keep it in on my own. I never had any pain associated with it, but did have a feeling of pressure.
Thank you so much…its almost same as my case, my right one is really small may be half a golf ball size and I don’t feel pain in it too…
One problem I am facing is that I don’t know how to put hernia back in hole and put belt on top of it…
since the time I have started using belt, I feel some dull pain in inner groin and it is very irritating…
Is it that I am wearing my belt wrong….
Hi George,
I’ve been wanting to contact you but I didn’t know the best way. I initially thought I had an inguinal hernia after a pelvic injury back in August of 2018. Long story short, about 5 months ago I finally got an ultrasound plus CT scan done. No inguinal hernia, BUT I do have “a tiny umbilical hernia containing fat”. I would not have known this had I not read the CT results myself. I have had pain around the belly button that I had assumed was a pulled muscle, generally after exercising intensely. The groin area is much better, but I am noticing the pain around the belly button being aggravated easier than it used to. I was wondering if you believed this could still be fixing without surgery since it’s not in the groin area and for me I don’t have a noticeable bulge except earlier in the morning sometimes I look slightly bloated. Please share your thoughts when you can. I want to cure this thing if it’s possible without surgery and I want to try and keep it from getting worse.
Thank you so much,
Josh
Hey Josh,
Sorry, I really don’t know much about umbilical hernias because all of my focus has been on inguinal hernias because that is what I had. I wish I had a better answer for you. Good luck with everything.
Who’s got a good general body workout program for ppl with an inguinal hernia?
Unknowingly had a hernia since 2018 (strange pain in balls swimming crawl back then) . Eventually got pain doing other things. In 2020 doc ordered me a sonogram (no hernia showed up). 2021 it popped out,
I’m two months rehabbing and for me, the regular sports I play are absolute no go’s. I was hoping to be able to train bjj at this point, as the lowest impact sport I know, but no. Especially as a lighter person, someone’s body weight landing on you in the wing position makes it seem a bad mix with a problematic hernia.
May develop my own program (I hate weight/gym training instead of sports), but I gotta do something to keep my body up while I see if I can rehab this hernia.
Check out my youtube channel. I have a bunch of exercises there that really helped my hernia.