Physical Activities With A Stoma

Physical activities to some degree every day can help you fight a lot of health conditions. There is no restriction on what physical activity you should engage in. It is all up to your preferences whether you want to play golf and tennis or engage in other physical activities to keep your body energized. The good news is that you can continue with your preferred physical activity regimen with a stoma.

Under your healthcare provider’s supervision, you can return to sports or physical activities you used to enjoy before surgery. However, you may have to avoid any sports or workouts that might be detrimental to your stoma. Such high-risk sports are boxing, wrestling, heavy-lifting, and other contact sports.

Having a stoma doesn’t stop you from becoming a runner, swimmer, athlete, or skier, and that too on a competitive level. If you didn’t exercise before surgery, it is probably high time to start.

Now, we will discuss some tips to help you resume exercises and other physical activities.

• Start slowly after your doctor’s approval. Your abdominal muscles will need some time to recover from the impact of surgery. Keep in touch with your healthcare provider.
• Start with the physical activity of your choice. Perform it at least three times a week. Every session of this activity should be 30-60 minutes long.
• Make sure to empty your stomach before starting exercising. Your baseplate should be on for at least an hour before you begin to sweat.
• Make sure that your stoma pouch has adhered to your abdominal skin properly. Most modern ostomy pouches made today are water-resistant, which means you can keep wearing them while swimming.
• Before swimming, cover the deodorizing filter vent with a cover to prevent water from entering the ostomy pouch. You can remove this cover once your pouch is completely dry.
• If you want to relax in a sauna or a hot tub, secure your ostomy pouch barrier with water-resistant tape to protect the flange’s adhesive. You may also need to check the seal of the flange periodically.

Having a stoma might mean a lifetime commitment if your ostomy is permanent. You have to bring a change in your lifestyle to remain worry-free during your daily activities. The good thing is that it is not that hard to accomplish. Learning to live with a stoma is not a hard undertaking. All you have to do is to stay motivated and remain adherent to stoma care rules.

The best way to stay motivated is to keep in touch with your ostomy care nurse or healthcare professional. If possible, join an ostomy support group to listen to other people with stomas and share your concerns and experiences. That will help you learn a lot regarding how to live better with a stoma.

Most importantly, stay focused on living a healthy life. It includes eating healthy foods and remaining physically active. Take care of your stoma to prevent any complications; otherwise, you will have a stressful time. Be sure to discuss everything with your healthcare provider.