When can I go in for sports after appendicitis: terms and recommendations

Many people cannot live without constant physical activity. By supporting an active lifestyle, they strengthen health and, keeping youthful for a long time, prolong life. When people undergo surgery, their normal way of life is disrupted, and they are forced to limit themselves during the period of postoperative recovery. The main issue is the duration of rehabilitation, since they cannot fully train.

Cecum, as part of the digestive system, participates in the process of digesting food. The appendix of the cecum is called the appendix. For a long time it was considered an atavism, since, being part of the digestive tract, it does not participate in its work. Modern research claims that the appendix plays an important role in the immune system - the cells it produces protect the intestines from invasive foreign bacteria.

Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix of the cecum. The reasons for the appearance of pathology have not been established - everyone can get sick. As a treatment, medicine offers the only option - emergency surgery.

Removal of the appendix of the cecum is the most common medical operation in the world. Timely diagnosis of the disease and the provision of medical care will reduce the likelihood of dangerous complications and allow you to recover as soon as possible. Therefore, at the first suspicion of appendicitis, you should immediately contact a medical institution.

Surgical treatment methods

In surgery, there are two main methods of removing the appendix: open appendectomy and laparoscopy.

In the first case, the surgeon makes a 10-centimeter incision in the abdominal cavity. This is a significant damage to the integrity of the abdominal wall, so it takes a long time to heal. During laparoscopy, the integrity of the abdominal wall is slightly disturbed - three punctures are made, each 2 centimeters in size. After this method, the healing of the wound surface and internal tissues is easier. In both cases, during the day, patients are recommended complete rest and taking painkillers for the next two days after the surgical procedure.

Factors affecting recovery time

After the doctors cut out the affected process, there is a disruption in the functioning of the body's functions: a slowdown in digestion, inhibition of respiratory function, a decrease in overall tone.

Duration of the period recovery from appendicitis due to various factors:

• Individual characteristics of a person - gender, age and weight;
• Accompanying illnesses;
• Reaction to anesthesia;
• Surgery type: laparoscopy or open method;
• Stage of the inflammatory process.

Young people recover faster than older people and children. Postoperative complications and a severe stage of the disease require additional efforts to combat possible infection. Physical activity after the removal of appendicitis is under strict medical supervision.

General rules for returning to sports training

Restriction of exercise after appendectomy is required for normal wound healing and prevention of hernia. It is possible to fully engage in sports after appendicitis at the end of the recovery period.

The return to an active lifestyle occurs gradually and obeys some rules:

• The first exercises only with the permission of the attending physician;
• Gradual increase in load;
• Visual control of the condition of the seams;
• Be sure to monitor the sensations in the abdomen, when discomfort appears, classes stop, this is reported to the doctor;
• Until the incisions in the tissues of the peritoneum are healed, exercises on the press are prohibited.

The first postoperative days

Reduced physical activity leads to the formation of adhesions in the operated area. In order to prevent the development of complications, a course of medical gymnastics is prescribed. Daily leisurely walks of at least 30 minutes are allowed. Lying on your back, it is allowed to do simple exercises to strengthen the arms and legs. The main thing is to control the tension in the seam area and not to make sudden movements.

Month after procedure

After a month, light and short physical exercises are allowed, a course of physiotherapy exercises continues.

Do not lift weights or strain your abdominal muscles. Patients are allowed to engage in the following sports - yoga, Pilates, dancing, swimming.

3-6 months

Intensive training resumes. Sports games and weight lifting with a weight of no more than 5 kilograms are allowed. Six months later, the weight limit of gravity increases to 10 kilograms, exercises for the press are included in the workouts.

It should be noted that the indicated time limits are conditional and in each individual case are set by the attending physician.

Additional restrictions

The operation to remove the appendix belongs to the category of simple and non-traumatic procedures. In rare cases, the following complications occur:

• Problems with urination;
• Violation of the heart due to blood loss;
• Infection due to violation of hygiene rules;
• Inflammatory process of internal organs;

• The negative effects of anesthesia;
• Adhesions and obstruction of the intestinal tract.

They are due to two factors:

• The disease was diagnosed at an advanced stage;
• Non-compliance with the recommendations of the attending physician.

In each case, drug treatment is prescribed in combination with physiotherapy and therapeutic exercises.

In difficult situations, repeated surgical intervention is performed. If complications arise after appendectomy, sports are allowed after six months, and lifting weights is allowed twelve months after the operation. In such conditions, constant wearing of a bandage is recommended to prevent tension in the seam area.

Physiotherapy

A mandatory element of rehabilitation is a course of physiotherapy exercises (exercise therapy), aimed at preventing postoperative deterioration of the patient's condition: pneumonia, thrombophlebitis, increased gas production and constipation. With the help of this course, swelling decreases, regenerative processes are stimulated and pain is reduced.

Patients immediately after the operation begin to perform exercise therapy exercises. The course of treatment begins with breathing exercises, then the emphasis is shifted to the work of the muscles of the arms and legs.

Diet

To successfully overcome the consequences of the procedure, the patient is assigned a diet. After a day, food is allowed. It is recommended to eat food in liquid or pure form in small portions six times a day. Food is taken chilled to exclude irritation of internal organs. Foods that cause increased gas formation in the intestines are excluded from the diet: legumes, salted or smoked food, soda, mushrooms. Alcohol, smoking and salt are prohibited. Rehabilitation includes giving up baked goods. The diet is followed for two months, after which the patients gradually return to their usual foods.

Sick leave

For the recovery period, doctors prescribe rest and home treatment. At this time, people are entitled to a sick leave. The duration of treatment is determined by the condition of the person and the nature of the work. With the normalization of the condition, patients are discharged, but with restrictions on physical activity. Exemption from physical education is provided for schoolchildren.

When visiting a doctor, consult carefully. Persistently ask about the state of health, honestly answer the doctor's questions, follow all the recommended restrictions, do not create additional health threats for the sake of the desire to immediately return to sports training.