Post op exercise.

Hi

I had the operation 1 month ago yesterday.  I was concerned about the scar initially - it felt like a AA battery inserted about 5mm under my skin.  However, it didn't restrict or change my movement, apart from rubbing uncomfortably on my trousers.  I was walking gingerly the day after, and light running two weeks later without issue.  I'm 47 btw.  Might be worth getting it checked out.

Stopped running again for at least 6 weeks now I think.  I had a single cycle of chemo administered yesterday.

Regards

Gary

Thanks. There is no way I could run now. Well unless I was being chased and had to! It just hurts way to much. I mean the official advise is wait 6 weeks...

why have you now stopped for six weeks if you don’t mind me asking. 

best of luck with all the chemo. 

My surgeon recommend 6 weeks, or earlier if I felt able to, but maybe I got lucky. I was very surprised how quickly it healed for me. I didn't have any tension or restriction of movement.

I will certainly be following their advice to the letter through chemo though. It's only a single cycle so relatively light compared to multi-cycle multi-drug treatments for other cancers.  I'm only one day in and I'm very tired today and will be for a few more days. Then I'm told I might start feeling a bit better, but my systems will be at their lowest around days 7 - 10, and I'll be weak for weeks after that. A very slow build back up to fitness from week six at the earliest I think.

Hi Kris,

I think it's important to stick to the official advice from the surgeon.

The reason is, the orchiectomy is performed by cutting along the inguinal line. That's why the operation is referred to as an "inguinal orchiectomy" or "radical orchiectomy".

It takes several weeks to heal properly.

The risk of doing any sort of exercise that requires intra-abdominal pressure is that you may suffer an inguinal hernia (part of the intestine protrudes through a weak spot in your abdominal muscles- in this case, along the inguinal line where the incision was made).

If you exercise regularly and are quite fit, you probably apply intra-abdominal pressure properly anyway (sub-consciously)- EG, when you do a press up / push up.

I know what you mean by thinking you want to strengthen the muscle, but the problem is, if you overdo it or apply any sort of intra-abdominal pressure, this risks pushing out your intestines / tissues through any weak spots along the area of incision.

Best, Kevin

Thanks Kevin, appreciate your advice and needless to say I have indeed to take my time to recuperate and wait until I’m fully fit before running again.