Days 1 – 4
Patients should not plan personal or work-related activities during this time period. Only basic daily functions should be performed: walking around the house, a short walk down the street and eating at home. Patients should expect to be away from work or school during this time period and should expect to experience moderate pain, which usually requires prescription oral analgesics (Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen).
Days 4 – 7
Most patients will be able to return to work or school by post operative day 4. However, patients are advised to avoid any heavy lifting of greater than 10-20 pounds. Although each patient is different, most should expect to only be at about 50% of normal work or school load during this first week. At home, most patients will be able to resume light activities and at work without any heavy lifting. Patients will have mild pain, requiring an occasional pain reliever such as Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen. For exercise some light stretching, walking and other slow paced activities can be performed.
Week 2
All patients will be able to return to work or school, but with lifting limitations of less than 9 kg. Patients should expect to be able to perform about 75% of their normal activities during this time. Patients will experience occasional discomfort, some stiffness or pain, which is usually adequately treated with rest or an Acetaminophen tablet.
Week 3
All patients will be able to return to work or school, but with lifting limitations of less than 9 kg. Again, patients should expect to be able to perform at about 85% of their normal capacity. Physical activity can be started, including running, cycling, yoga, Pilates, swimming, surfing, golf, light weights in the gym (less than 9 kg). Oral pain medications are usually not needed.
Week 4
All patients will be able to return to work or school without lifting limitations. Patients should expect to be at about 95% of their normal capacity and quickly get back to 100% within days to two weeks. Patients may return to some athletic activities, including contact sports, weightlifting (squats, dead lifts, bench presses, etc.), as well as training and competitions. Keep in mind that it is not uncommon for patients to experience pulling, pulling, aching, heaviness, swelling, occasional sharp pains, and general 'discomfort' for months after hernia surgery. However, these occasional symptoms should become less and less frequent over time.
As soon as patients can engage in sexual activities without severe pain, they can resume their normal activities. Just as with returning to work and athletic activities, there will be some recovery period before patients feel back to normal. The 50%, 75%, 85%, and 95% rule above for work and school applies to sexual activity.
Many of the oral pain medications have the side effect of causing constipation. Many patients who have never taken pain medication before can be very sensitive to the narcotics in pain relievers. Therefore, it is highly recommended that patients have a laxative available after surgery. We recommend that patients take them starting the night of surgery and continuing until normal bowel function returns.