Is this muscle strain or something more sinister?

I was cleared to work out two weeks post op. I tried and it was too soon. My abdomen was very painful and I got very nauseated. I was told to try again four weeks post op. I was sick most of week 4 and am now in week 5. I went to the gym Tuesday and biked 2 miles, speedwalked 1. Yesterday I did a 2 mile walk. Afterwards I felt similar pain as I did 2 weeks post op, although not severe. It felt like my stomach was bruised and would hurt to bend/move. It's gone this morning. Could this just be muscle strain since my abdominal muscles have been so inactive? It feels different than what muscle soreness felt like pre-op, but everything feels different so I am not ruling it out.

I just want to make sure I am not overlooking a concern.

If it hurts, stop trying to do too much. You had major surgery. Stop going to the gym. Take a couple of days off work. If it doesn't feel better, call the doctor.

"Doc, it hurts when I do this."

"Don't do that any more."

Personally, I think you are trying to do too much too soon.

Ramp up to 2 miles on the bike and 1 mile more slowly. If you haven't been doing these distances for awhile then you need to re-start training at shorter distances. Good luck!

Listen to your body. The pain is telling you to slow down.

Yesterday was the first day I have attempted regular activities. I worked all day moving stuff in the basement, doing laundry, going up and down the stairs. Then last night, my abdomen felt like I had done crunches all day. Like you, the soreness is gone this morning. I think if it disappears overnight, we are just working those muscles more than they have been for a while. If it were something that persisted, you might want to get it checked out. What is it they say: No pain, no gain? HA!

But yeah; also, take it slow. No need to abuse your body. It's like weight training: When you lay off your program for a while, you don't walk back in and start lifting where you left off. You have to go back and start at the beginning and work back up.

Whoa! My doctor made me wait six weeks and then said I could walk ONLY and if I felt pain to stop. You just had major surgery. Give yourself time to heal!!