High intense activity post op

Djrundle13

So I'm closing in on my surery time. Got one more appt with the doc and should be ready for RNY surgery in June.

Anyhow, I really want to start playing hockey again next winter. Anyone got insight on playing hockey or other high intensity sports after surgery?
How would you plan on eating and maintaining energy for those days?

TryingTeresa

I'm in Texas and know nothing about hockey - so I'm not sure when hockey season starts. But if it is more than 3-5 months after your surgery I say GO FOR IT!! I think you are going to be amazed at how good you feel by winter. The hardest part is going to be your body allowing you to amp up the calorie intake to offset the exercise, but I bet your body will let you eat more as long as it is in small intervals and high in protein. Also check out if you should drink whey protein after intense workouts - that was suggested to me (increased calories & whey protein) and the weight flew off. Of course there was no body contact in the sports I picked- so for that aspect I'd say check with your dr.

Also if hockey is mainly cardio, don't forget you will really need to add strength training into your week. My best advice for newbies is life weights, lift weights, and oh did I mention lift weights!!

Good luck & start counting down to hockey season!!

madmags

I do some high intensity work outs now and I am almost 4 months out. I am building back my strength and stamina, but making progress. I am planning on returning back to crossfit by this summer. I think you would be good to go by next season. You will have to learn what your body excepts for food, each person seems to be different.

rpyle111

The surgeon explained to me that the main barrier to exertion is the incision used to remove the stomach. This incision cuts through the sheath around a muscle bundle, then spreads the muscles to allow the removal of the organ. The muscle stretching is essentially a pulled muscle and takes care of itself in a couple of weeks. The incision through the sheath has a stitch put in it and over 8 weeks or so will help to 80% of its previous strength, then over the first year, will get as strong as it will.

He told me that after 3-4 weeks, I could resume most exercise, but to hold off on strenuous ab work until 8 weeks. As always, he told me not to do things that hurt.

Never being much of a fan of ab work, I have held back on ab-specific work these 5.5 months (just to be safe ). All elliptical and weight liftiing I have done has not hurt since the third or fourth week post-op. I got back to playing old guy (40+) basketball after three months with no ill effects.

My guess is that a winter return to hockey will be fine, but you should probably have that conversation with your surgeon specifically.

Rob