One-third of Americans develop hemorrhoids, according to Fountia, and half of men who are 50 have had them. They don't generally lead to more serious health conditions. If you exercise, continue to exercise as much as your hemorrhoid pain allows. If you don't exercise, you should start -- because exercise can help reduce the risk of hemorrhoids.
Causes
Pressure from chronic diarrhea, muscle strain or heavy lifting can cause veins around the anus or within the anal passageway to dilate. If you have chronic constipation and repeatedly apply pressure to evacuate your bowels, you also heighten your risk of hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids develop in an area where blood can tend to pool anyway; the anal tract is the lowest point in the circulatory system that moves blood from your heart to your liver. With the help of gravity and the loss of elasticity in your veins that occurs as you age, additional pressure can cause veins to weaken, engorge and balloon out, the Mayo Clinic says.
Symptoms
Internal hemorrhoids that develop deep in the anal passageway usually trigger minimal discomfort. They may rupture and bleed, causing blood in your stool. Though these hemorrhoids aren't cause for concern, if you ever see blood in your stool, you should go to your doctor for an evaluation to rule out more serious conditions. External hemorrhoids are more difficult to ignore. They develop on the rim of the anus, presenting as purple or red masses. You may never get a good visual confirmation of a hemorrhoid, but you know it's there. External hemorrhoids cause tenderness, pain, itching and sometimes a discharge of blood or mucus. Usually small in size, hemorrhoids can grow to the size of a golf ball.
Exercises and Activities to Avoid
Henny Youngman used to tell a joke about a guy that goes to his doctor and says, "Doc, whenever I move my arm like this it hurts." The doctor says, "Then stop moving your arm like that." This advice applies to hemorrhoids. If an activity hurts, don't do it. If activities that place pressure on your rectum -- such as bicycling or horseback riding -- cause pain, lay off them for awhile. Even if they don't trigger immediate discomfort, avoid exercises that place pressure on your lower abdomen and lower back, such as weightlifting.
Exercise to Help
Cardio activities such as brisk walking, running and swimming and aerobics such as Pilates enhance blood flow and muscle tone, reducing the risk of hemorrhoids. Exercise that raises your heart rate increases blood flow to your rectal area, which strengthens supportive tissue and delivers nutrients and oxygen to inflamed areas. Exercise such as yoga may not raise your heart rate the way aerobic exercise does, but it enhances muscle tone and may reduce your symptoms and risk of hemorrhoids, Fountia says.
Specific Exercise
If you're prone to hemorrhoids, consider specific exercises to strengthen and tone your anal sphincter muscles. You can perform the "buttocks press" by tightening and relaxing your buttocks muscles. You can do this just about anytime, anywhere.
Further Help
Seek consultation from your doctor when you develop hemorrhoid symptoms. Drink plenty of fluids during exercise and throughout the day to keep hydrated and enhance the flow of bile through your digestive system.
