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After a major surgery, such as an ostomy, it is quite difficult for the new ostomates to get their life back on track. Things get even more difficult for the ostomates who, in their pre-surgery phase of life, had been engaged in intense physical activities, such as fitness training. But what may come as good news for such people is that getting back to the previous fitness regimen is more than a possibility with the help of just a few adjustments related to ostomy management.

In this article, we are going to talk about the exercises that fitness enthusiasts can engage in after ostomy surgery.

Lifting

Weight lifting can have a positive impact on bone density. With aging, bones weaken, and muscles lose their tissues. Lifting can delay this process for good. However, it is necessary to avoid any weight lifting for 12 weeks after ostomy surgery. After resuming to lifting weight, an ostomate should be extremely cautious. 

Core muscle conditioning

Strong core muscles give a person the necessary strength to perform most physical activities. They help keep the back in the ideal posture and minimize the risk of back pain. These muscles support abs, pelvis, and back.

Exercises to strengthen these muscles can be performed on a mat or carpet, and they need no special equipment. These exercises can be useful. However, you need to talk to your ostomy care nurse before proceeding to this type of training.

Walking

If there is one exercise that we can say is the safest one for ostomates, it is to go out on a walk. While this activity is not a high impact one, there is no need to be too enthusiastic about it. Make sure that you have comfortable sneakers. Start slowly and walk more. However, the best practice is to measure the time instead of distance. Walking doesn't only help you get back in form, but it also improves your digestion, which is quite necessary for effective ostomy management.

Contact sports

Just because you have an ostomy to manage doesn't mean that you cannot engage in contact sports. It rather depends on how well you are rebuilding your strength for physical activities. The chances of damage to your stoma are minimal. All you need to care about is your ostomy bag, which is at the risk of getting detached during intense moments of contact sports. So, it is necessary to make sure that you are wearing a ventilated belt to hold the bag snugly.