Hemorrhoids can be painful, itchy and uncomfortable; affecting approximately 75 percent of people at some point in life, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Hemorrhoids are swollen veins found near the opening of the rectum, and are often relieved by home remedies, such as soaking in a bath to reduce swelling. For hemorrhoids that produce painful symptoms unrelieved by home remedies, a hemorrhoidectomy is a surgical procedure in which your doctor will remove the hemorrhoids under general anesthesia. The procedure can cause pain afterward and may limit your activity level.
Walking
Following a hemorrhoidectomy, focus on exercises that will use muscles and increase your heart rate at a level that is physically comfortable for you. Exercise also decreases the incidence of constipation, particularly if you follow a high-fiber diet and drink plenty of water. Constipation can be extremely painful following a hemorrhoidectomy and may cause damage to the incision site. Walking for 20 to 30 minutes daily can help to reduce the incidence of constipation by promoting bowel function.
Range of Motion
Straining during exercise can also aggravate your surgical site after hemorrhoidectomy. Avoid exercises that require heavy lifting to prevent the recurrence of hemorrhoids. Stretching and range of motion exercises are ways to use your muscles and increase flexibility without putting added stress on your body at the site of your hemorrhoidectomy. You can do range of motion exercises for any of your muscles as long as you are comfortable after surgery. Slowly move your muscles by extending and flexing at the joint. Do not move your muscles past the point of pain; the movement should feel like a slight stretch.
Yoga
Talk with your doctor before exercising after a hemorrhoidectomy and follow instructions about what kind of exercise is acceptable, as well as how much and how often to do it. Because a hemorrhoidectomy is a surgical procedure, you will also be recovering from anesthesia, so avoid overexerting yourself during exercise. Yoga can be a type of strengthening exercise that also works to relieve stress. Yoga is frequently offered in a class format and focuses on strengthening muscles, stretching and breathing techniques.
