Walking after Prolapse Surgery

Photo by Wonderlane on Unsplash

Walking after prolapse surgery helps with physical recovery. It will reduce the risk of postoperative complications.

When can you start walking?

Walking after prolapse surgery is the exercise of choice for most women.

While you are still in the hospital, your surgeon will let you know when it is safe to begin. For many women, this is the day after surgery. If you’re not feeling well or there are complications your surgeon may defer walking.

It’s important, however, to start walking as soon as you’re adequately recovered from the surgery. Once you are out of bed you may walk a short distance with the help of a nurse or physiotherapist based on your general health. A walk to the bathroom or down the hospital hallway is a good start. When getting out of bed, if you can stand or walk on the spot for a few minutes, lifting one leg after the other, it is also a good start.

The Benefits of Walking

The goal of walking after prolapse surgery is to avoid common postoperative complications.

• Improves breathing
• Promotes circulation 
• Reduces your risk of back pain 
• Promotes bowel movement and constipation
• Improves posture
• Promotes self-confidence

At Home

When you are home from prolapse surgery, you can continue a daily routine of walking like you were doing in the hospital.

Short regular walks through the day are best alternating with sitting out of bed and resting in bed.

For example, you may have been walking for 5 minutes while in hospital, so continue walking for 5 minutes, 2-3 times a day when you first get home.

Continue at your own pace over the next several weeks increasing the time you walk depending on how you are feeling. For example. In the first week, your walks could be 5 minutes and then strive for 5-10 minutes week two and increase by five minutes each week so that by six weeks you are able to walk continuously for 30 minutes.

Remember to listen to your body and try not to increase the speed of your walking, it will happen naturally over time and you don’t want to put stress on your healing.

About Prolapse

Pelvic Surgery Success

Pelvic surgeries can have a high rate of recurrence and I believe that is in large part because so much information is not shared with women ahead of time about what to expect, how to prepare, how to recover, return to fitness guidelines, nutrition protocols and more.

My new program, Pelvic Surgery Success is a one-of-a-kind program that will take you from feeling depressed, anxious, and consumed by fear of surgery to informed, confident and calm so you can put your nagging symptoms behind you and get back to living life with spontaneity and joy!

The program is currently in beta mode and is offered with introductory pricing while I fine-tune it!

You will learn from me as well as Doctors, Pelvic Health Physical Therapists and Nurse Continence Advisors.

You will also learn from others who have had surgery and what they wish they had known, done differently and what advice they want to share.