The Best Exercises After Appendicitis

The best exercises after appendicitis are designed to help return your body to its healthy physical state and improve range of motion in limbs that may have slight atrophy during your illness. If you did not require an appendectomy for your appendicitis, chances are you will be able to exercise at full strength as soon as the inflammation decreases. If you required surgery, slowly building up your exercise regimen, especially abdominal exercises, will help you increase strength without injuring yourself.

Postsurgery Bed Exercises

If an appendectomy has been recently performed on you, chances are you will be in bed for an extended period of time. Consult your doctor before attempting any exercises while in bed. If you get the go ahead from your doctor, starting off with basic leg pumps and lifts will help improve blood flow and circulation in the lower portions of your body. In addition, performing bed exercises can also help reduce the risk of blood clots forming in your lower extremities.

Short Walks

After 10 to 14 days of inactivity, it is usually safe to begin performing basic exercises and returning to your normal life. According to MayoClinic.com, you should begin your post-appendicitis exercise regimen with short walks. During these walks, be aware of your walking form and posture, trying to keep additional weight off of your abdominal muscles. Stop walking as soon as you feel fatigued and do not push yourself to exercise for extended periods of time.

Passive Abdominal Exercise

After several weeks of recovery, performing basic abdominal exercise will help return your midsection to a stronger place. Start by sitting down on the edge of a bed with your feet hanging off of the edge of the bed. With your back straight and core tightened, slowly lift up your legs until they are parallel with the floor. Hold this position for several seconds before slowly lowering your legs back to their original position. Repeat until fatigued.

Swimming

Swimming is a low impact exercise that puts low amounts of stress on your joints during exercise. After recovering from an appendicitis, start with short laps, using a freestyle swim technique to put less strain on your abdominal muscles. Stop swimming as soon as you feel any tension or pain in your lower abdominal region. As your strength returns, increase the number of laps you perform in the pool and vary the strokes you will perform.