Question:
When can I start doing crunches and/or situps? I'm 8 weeks out.

   — Lisa D. (posted on April 2, 2003)

April 2, 2003
ask your doctor.
   — Kasey

April 2, 2003
It depends if you had Lap or Open. I had Lap and was doing crunches about 6 weeks out. I took it easy for a while though, and worked up.
   — Angie M.

April 2, 2003
Hey there! I am a firm believer that you should keep in contact with your doctor regarding this however, I am 9 weeks out and had mine done lap. I have been exercising (walking 2 1/2 miles at least 5 days a week as well as workout videos at least 3 times a week) since I was 6 weeks post op. I do crunches, sit ups, and a lot of leg work outs. Good luck!
   — Kitty Kat

April 2, 2003
My surgeon released me at 6 weeks to exercise, BUT NO AB WORK....not until I was 4 or 5 months out. I had an OPEN with a 13 inche incision. 05/13/02 - 135 lbs.
   — Sharon H.

April 2, 2003
Hi there, I had lap that turned into open and when i went to my 6 week check up i asked my doctor when i could start crunches, he said that i could start them at that time. But he stressed that aerobic exercising was more important and to not just do weights and crunches but to include aerobic exercises. By the way, i did a full set of 12 crunches the first day i did them and i was in pain afterwards. I learned the hard way to take it easy. But before surgery i was up to 3 sets of 12 crunches and leg lifts (thats where you lay on your back and cross your legs at the ankles and lift them (its hard)) well, i couldnt even do one of those things. I am working on them both though slowly. Good luck. By the way, i am 9 weeks out now and keep trying.
   — rachel W.

April 2, 2003
My surgoen released me to workout with weights etc. at 6 weeks but NO AB work. Especially because I still have a deep narrow hole in my incision, but his answer would have been the same for anyone. Like others have said aerobic exercise like walking is just as beneficial right now and won't increase your risk of a hernia. When I lost 200 lbs before I did 99% walking for the first 5 months, then went to weight training and biking after about a year. The walking, with it's constantly moving my large gut, did a ton to get rid of that fat even without any other ab work. <p>Your particular surgeon should be the final call on this, but even if he or she says okay, there is no way I would be doing ab work at 8 weeks. 12 weeks at the earliest and probably 16-20 weeks. I'm trying to avoid PS, even though I have over 200 lbs to lose, and if I am successful at that I sure don't want to have to have surgery because of a darn hernia. I realize that 25% of open patients get hernias but I hope to be in the 75% by being very cautious with the ab work. That will come in time. If I could just work the lower absm like the gut area, I would do that but no matter how you try to isolate it you work the upper abs too.
   — zoedogcbr