Deadlifting/Risk of hernia - JP Fitness Forums

EdChap · 07-23-2006, 03:42 PM

My brother is in the process of converting to sensible lifting and is planning to incorporate the deadlift. One of his worries is that the strain of deadlifting on the abdominal walls creates the risk of a hernia.

Is this a legitamate concern? If not are there any articles/papers dispelling this?

Also could someone link me to some good articles for deadlift technique?

Thanks in advance.

Lisa~ · 07-23-2006, 04:00 PM

My favorite how-to for someone new to the conventional deadlift is Ian King's:

Question of Power

The only thing I disagree with is abdominal hollowing, which he mentions, but I doubt he'd advise anymore. This is pretty old.

There are a lot of other good deadlift techinque articles if you want them.

I don't have a good answer to the hernia question. Someone with a medical background needs to answer this one!

Iamjennmedic · 07-23-2006, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdChap

My brother is in the process of converting to sensible lifting and is planning to incorporate the deadlift. One of his worries is that the strain of deadlifting on the abdominal walls creates the risk of a hernia.

Is this a legitamate concern? If not are there any articles/papers dispelling this?

Also could someone link me to some good articles for deadlift technique?

Thanks in advance.

The only way that deadlifting will give you a hernia is if the ab walls are weak. So as long as he follows a sensible progression and does some good core work he should be fine.

Jason B · 07-23-2006, 05:23 PM

If you lift properly, the deadlift is no more dangerous than any other lift.

bryanc · 07-23-2006, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iamjennmedic

The only way that deadlifting will give you a hernia is if the ab walls are weak. So as long as he follows a sensible progression and does some good core work he should be fine.

As a male, you have an inherent weakness for an inguinal hernia. That's just the way we're built. That doesn't mean you're doomed for one though. If your family is prone to hernias, then you might be prone to them as well. And if you've already had one, then you're more likely to have a subsequent one. But other than those two factors, there aren't any good predictors of who gets them and who doesn't. There is a theory that increasing abdominal pressure (such as a Valsalva maneuver, or breath holding during heavy lifts) can increase the risk of hernia too, but that hasn't really been substantiated.

Learn to lift properly and increase your loads gradually. Other than that general 'motherhood' statement, there's not much else.

ryan122185 · 07-23-2006, 06:33 PM

Inguinal hernias are a genetic weakness once they are repaired there is very little recurrence. And the surgery is very mild. I had one repaired last summer. 3 days off work. 7 days out of they gym. 14 days to be 100%

walt · 07-23-2006, 10:58 PM

I had my first hernia repair done almost 20 years ago (the old fashioned way). When it let go again 7 years ago it was repaired properly and has never caused my any concern at all.

Quote:

The only way that deadlifting will give you a hernia is if the ab walls are weak. So as long as he follows a sensible progression and does some good core work he should be fine.

Couldn't have said it better myself!

EdChap · 07-24-2006, 12:18 PM

Thanks for the replies so far, any others?

Mahler · 07-24-2006, 12:54 PM

Ed,
Just a thought. Look at the numbers. At least in my world, most of the people I know who have had surgery for hernia were not lifters or even athletic. Ususally they were out of shape and/or overweight.

Alcoholiday · 07-24-2006, 07:11 PM

even if you get a hernia, it's not even a big deal anymore. you can be back in a few weeks usually after surgery depending on the severity of it.