Weight Training Questions - Stomach Sagging After Hysterectomy

Weight Training Question:
After having an abdominal hysterectomy, I now have excess skin and my stomach is sagging. Can exercise help get rid of this extra skin hanging down on my stomach?

Weight Training Answer:
It may be a bit challenging to remove sagging skin from the procedure through exercise or diet. Since the main issue here is the skin's elasticity, surgery is the best option for removing the excess skin. However, with hard work and dedication, exercise and diet can be used to reduce the problem of sagging skin on your stomach.

You can begin by exercising your core muscles everyday. This should be started only after your doctor has indicated that it is safe for you to do so. Exercises that focus on core strengthening movements can help to flatten your stomach and help you to look leaner. Kegel exercises and sit-ups can help you firm up your stomach as it pulls the muscles tightly and flexes your core.

You can also do exercises with abdominal hallowing. Get down on your hands and knees and allow your stomach to hang down. You should inhale and then after you exhale, pull your belly button inward and upward towards the spine. The more you do these exercises, the quicker the results will come. You should begin slowly and try to do five repetitions with rest periods. For one week, you should do a set of a hollowing exercises everyday. If you feel stronger in the second week, try increasing the reps to ten and do them every day.

You can also perform pelvic lifts. Begin by lying on your back, bending your right knee and then the left knee. Your feet should be planted on the floor with your arms down to the sides. You should then lift the buttocks from the floor while tightening them and feeling the pull on the abdominal area. Support yourself using your hands, upper back and feet. You should hold for a few seconds before lowering to the position that you started from. You should then start again slowly and focus on doing 5 pelvic lifts everyday for one week. If you feel strong enough, you should increase the reps to ten the following week.

Pelvic tilts can also help to reduce the problem. You should lie on your back while bending your knees with your feet planted on the floor. Pushing your back against the floor requires the tightening of the abdominal muscles and tilting your pelvis upwards. This workout is beneficial for the belly. It is recommended that you should hold the position for about 10 seconds. You should do 5 pelvic tilts in the first week, once everyday. In the following week, the reps should be increased to 10. As you become stronger, try adding additional repetitions.

When it comes to diet, you should avoid eating foods that produces gas such as broccoli, baked beans, Brussels sprouts and cabbage while recovering. These foods may cause bloating as well as other gas related issues causing discomfort and your midsection to look puffy. You should also avoid carbonated beverages such as soda.

By using the abdominal exercises outlined above, you can help to tighten, tone and strengthen the muscles of your core and midsection. However, if you have excessive sagging of the skin then you will probably need to consult with a cosmetic surgeon to have a professional evaluate your current condition to see if surgery is your only alternative for removing the extra skin from your sagging stomach.

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