Ostomy News Physiotherapist

Stoma friendly 10 minute exercises

Below are some basic exercises which are stoma friendly and will begin to fire up your core muscles. Consistency is key, they need to become part of your daily routine. They should only take 10 minutes to complete. These are also a great ‘warm up’ for those who are looking to participate in more strenuous physical activity.

Exercises 1: The corset squeeze:
Think of your ribs, tummy, back and pelvic floor like a corset.

Knit your ribs together by squeezing them towards each other and back towards your spine. Aim to pull your belly button towards your spine, and engage your pelvic floor as if your were stopping urine mid flow. Work with the natural flow of your breathing to create the engagement of your muscles. Complete 10 squeezes with the in and out of your breaths.
This exercise is also the base to which you should perform the other exercises in order to engage your core muscles and maintain good posture.
Try to do this as you go about your daily life, out walking is a great place to fire up your core muscles while moving.

Don’t hold your breath whilst working on this exercise!

Exercise 2: Pelvic tilts:
Lay on your back on a bed. Engage your core muscles as we have done in exercise 1. Then aim to peel your lower back from the bed approximately 1 inch or so then stop and hold. Check you are still holding your core correct. Then lower back to the bed and tilt your pelvis the opposite way creating a deeper curve in the lower spine. Aim for 10 repetitions of this exercise.

Exercise 3: Bridge:
Engage your core as per exercise 1. Begin a pelvic tilt as per exercise number 2, then fully lift your bottom and lower back off the bed. Aim to press your hands and arms into the bed. The key is to engage your core, push your heels into the bed and feel as if you are pulling your heels towards you bottom. Aim for 10 repetitions of this exercise. You can adjust the height of your lift as you get stronger. It is better to only lift a little but maintain a strong and engaged core than lift higher.

Exercise 4: Knee rolls:
Laying on your back on a bed, bend your knees and place your feet on the bed, hip width apart. Then, engage your core as per exercise 1, then gently and slowly roll your knees from side to side as if they were a windscreen wiper on a car. You can start off by moving the knees a few inches side to side if you don’t feel confident, aim to get your legs fully flat on the bed as your confidence grows. This is also a lovely side stretch for your lateral core muscles. Aim for 10 repetitions and build up as you get stronger.

Exercise 4: Mini air squat:
Standing in front of a chair or a kitchen work top, place your feet hip with apart. Engage your core as per exercise 1. Place your arms extended out in the air in front of you, the higher they are the more difficult. Slowly bend at your knees and hips to perform a squat. Go as low as feels comfortable for you. Ensure your knees don’t go over your toes as this can damage them overtime. Aim for 10 mini squats. Progress repetitions, depth of squat and arm position to add difficulty as you get stronger.

Walking:
Walking is an excellent way to improve your cardiovascular fitness and mental health. When out walking try to think of engaging your core as I have suggested in exercise 1. Walking is a great way to improve fitness and aid recovery after major surgery. Start with 5-10 minutes per day and gradually build up as you progress through your recovery. At around 3 months post op, provided you get the go ahead from your surgeon, you can then pick up activities such as running, swimming, cycling and more strenuous day to day work.

Pilates:
Pilates may not be for everyone, hear me out. In my own and professional experience, Pilates is one of the best forms of exercise you can add into your routine to support your physical health after stoma surgery. Pilates focuses purely on working core muscles in a slow, controlled and low impact way. You don’t have to be super fit or flexible to start, just head to a local class with a fully qualified teacher. Explain that you have had stoma surgery and they will be able to adjust exercises to your needs as they arise.