Prolapse Surgery
Postoperative recovery exercises and techniques that:
- Promote your surgical recovery
- Reduce your risk of repeat prolapse
- Help you exercise safely after prolapse surgery
- Keep you strong and active long-term
Benefits of Exercise After Prolapse Surgery
1. Short Term Recovery Exercise
Exercise promotes physical recovery and prevents some potential adverse side effects during the first 6-8 weeks after surgery.
Exercise during early recovery can help:
Prevent chest problems
Reduce the risk of blood clots
Improve bowel emptying
Reduce physical deterioration
Relieve joint pain and stiffness
Return to regular activity and work
Improve self confidence and mood
2. Long Term Recovery Exercise
Complete internal healing takes approximately 3 months in most women. While you’re healing it’s important to progress your exercises gradually and modify unsafe exercises.
It’s also advisable to adopt pelvic floor safe exercise long-term when your pelvic floor has completely healed.
Pelvic floor safe exercise after prolapse surgery can help with:
- Weight management
- Cardiovascular fitness
- Physical strengthening
- Emotional well being
- Protecting your pelvic floor
Choosing Safe Exercises After Prolapse Surgery
Pelvic floor safe exercises are important after pelvic floor surgery to avoid pelvic floor overload and reduce the risk of repeat prolapse.
Pelvic floor safe exercises after surgery include:
- Low impact fitness exercises starting out with a walking program
- Gentle intensity core abdominal exercises
- Appropriate strength training techniques and exercises
How to Avoid Unsafe Exercises
It’s important to make your first surgery your best surgical outcome. The risk of repeat prolapse increases with each successive prolapse surgery that’s performed.
Knowing which exercises to avoid is important for women wanting to stay active and fit during recovery and long term. Unfortunately sometimes women aren’t fully aware that there are some commonly performed exercises that may increase the likelihood of repeat prolapse.
Exercises to avoid after surgery include:
- High impact exercises such as running and jumping
- Intense abdominal core exercises including some that are included in advanced Pilates and some Yoga classes that can be easily modified
- Heavy loading during weight training especially with unsafe weight training exercises and techniques likely to strain the pelvic floor
Kegel Exercises After Prolapse Surgery
Kegel exercises after prolapse surgery aim to:
- Maximize pelvic floor strength and support
- Reduce the risk or repeat prolapse
- Prevent problems sometimes associated with pelvic surgery (e.g. incontinence)
Recommencing Kegel exercises after surgery can vary in terms of the best time to start. Kegels usually commence when you receive your doctor’s approval and this is usually from around 4 weeks after surgery. It’s important to have your doctor’s approval prior to starting your Kegel training.
Pelvic floor rehabilitation is usually gradually progressed and can take up to 6 months to complete.
Prolapse Exercises Saver Pack
Workout DVD and Prolapse Exercises e-Book
with Physiotherapist Michelle Kenway
Learn how to exercise safely, strengthen your prolapse and reduce your risk of pelvic prolapse worsening.
Prolapse Exercises Saver Pack is the complete exercise solution for women after prolapse surgery who are seeking to exercise safely and protect the pelvic floor from injury.
This saver pack includes exercises for your recovery and long-term exercises for strength, fitness, weight management and bone health.