Exercise 
after hysterectomy can help avoid and overcome hysterectomy side effects.
This exercise video teaches women some safe exercises to promote hysterectomy recovery and minimise the risk of post operative side effects.
Please scroll down for ‘Exercise After Hysterectomy’ video
Who is ‘Exercise After Hysterectomy’ Suited to?
This short information video is for women seeking information on therapeutic exercise either before or following vaginal or abdominal hysterectomy. The exercises and techniques demonstrated include those that may be be taught before or during hospital stay.
Note: Exercise after hysterectomy should only be undertaken with approval form your medical specialist or health professional advice. This post operative hysterectomy exercise information is not intended as medical advice, rather it is for the information of women seeking to understand those types of exercises and techniques that can assist with recovery.
Video duration: 5 minutes
For expert guidelines safe whole body fitness and strength exercise after hysterectomy and refer to Inside Out – the essential women’s guide to pelvic support by Michelle Kenway and Dr Judith Goh (Urogynaecologist)
Note: to ensure smooth viewing of the video, it is recommended that you press on this play arrow and then when the video starts loading you press the ‘pause’ button until you can see that the entire video has loaded. This will help avoid the video stopping to load while you watch.
‘Exercise After Hysterectomy’ Overview
The exercises demonstrated in this short video include:
- Deep breathing exercises – deep breathing exercises are frequently encouraged post operatively to minimise the risk of chest problems after hysterectomy surgery. The technique taught in this video is diaphragmatic breathing, a technique widely used to improve chest ventilation post operatively.
- Circulation exercises – to minimise the risk of DVT (deep venous thrombosis) or blood clots in the deep veins of the calf muscles. With inactivity and bed rest post operatively, the risk of DVT can be increased, particularly after abdominal hysterctomy surgery
- Exercise to minimise discomfort when moving in bed – after hysterectomy surgery it can be difficult to know how to move without placing downward pressure on the internal wound. The movement technique demonstrated in this video is aimed reducing post operative discomfort movement and minimising downward pressure on the wound by using the buttocks rather than the abdominal muscles to move.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR, Michelle Kenway
Michelle Kenway is a Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist and author of Inside Out – the Essential Women’s Guide to Pelvic Support, along with Dr Judith Goh Urogynaecologist. The Inside Out exercise DVD and book show women how to strengthen the pelvic floor and exercise effectively with pelvic floor safe exercises.
I’ve had a virginal hysterectomy and anterior prolapse repair 2 weeks ago. Using the technique to get in out of bed etc which has helped me. I’ve watched your video and like the exercises they’re gentle and explained really well. Thank you.
Just to be sure I’m ok doing them after having a hysterectomy and anterior repair at the same time only a few weeks ago. I am doing some gentle pelvic ones, following a booklet when I was discharged from hospital.
Thank you
Yes Julie, the exercises are appropriate after both types of pelvic surgery, all the best for your recovery
Feel old and stiff still after my hystertomy. It has been ten months so why still stiff and slow? Was not this way before surgery…..
After having an abdominal hysterectomy 6 days ago I still can’t get in and out of bed despite trying your technique (the pushing up puts a strain on my wound)as the right side of my wound feels so sore still.
The only way I can sleep is on a reclined armchair as it gives me some support when I need to get up.
I so wished I had been given this advice before hand as the nurses too busy to give advice in hospital. since developed chest problems which now need sorting out ie. xray? infection or collapse?
I agree. I received zero direction from nurses or doctors. Was just told I should be feeling fine in about a week and to take it easy. I’m 5 weeks post op now and have intense upper and lower back pain, heaviness in my diaphragm and problems breathing. Also no one mentioned referred pain in my diaphragm and shoulder are common side effects from the CO2. It was excruciating and lasted at least 4 days. A heads up would have been nice. Considering this is such a ‘common’ procedure you would think they would make a better attempt at spelling these things out for you beforehand so as to reduce the chance of complications after. Feeling very frustrated. And I don’t believe there is anyone out there “feeling fine!” the day after surgery, as so many sources in the internet try to make you think. Back to work in a week, yeah right!!
Yep Julie I hear you! This is major surgery involving removal of a major organ of a woman’s body – there is very little effort in some places to address either/both the physical and emotional side effects of this that many women do suffer post op. Thanks for sharing your story! All the nest for your recovery – expect around 3 months, all the best
Good video