I just posted this on marunde-muscle but wanted to know your guys opinions too.
I’ve got my first powerlifting meet coming up July 4th. Last Heavy squat workout I felt a weird sense of pressure down by my grundle on the right side behind my balls. It was very uncomfortable, not painful but felt like if I went heavier or faster I’d have an injury there.
Now I’ve never had a hernia and don’t know if thats what it may be. However, I was wondering if you guys knew if squat briefs would help this problem out. Maybe eliminate the pressure or give me support? All I’m currently wearing is a belt. Anyone ever have problems like this?
You may have only pulled muscle. Do you feel you intenstines popping out. If not then theres no hernia. I have a hernia in my belly button. Squat briefs will help you w/ support but may not help if you have hernia. I always train my squat in my briefs after 315 just to make sure I don’t pull or tear anything.
Go see a Dr if you have time before your meet. I honestly wouldn’t do the meet if your in pain down there. You may make it worse, or worse pop your intestines all the way through.
[quote]Gatorarmz wrote:
You may have only pulled muscle. Do you feel you intenstines popping out. If not then theres no hernia. I have a hernia in my belly button. Squat briefs will help you w/ support but may not help if you have hernia. I always train my squat in my briefs after 315 just to make sure I don’t pull or tear anything.
Go see a Dr if you have time before your meet. I honestly wouldn’t do the meet if your in pain down there. You may make it worse, or worse pop your intestines all the way through.[/quote]
That’s really good advice. I have an asymptomatic hernia in my belly button as well and after heavy squats or pulls is pushes out a little so it is relatively obvious (however, I can push it back in). If nothing is pushing out it’s most likely not a hernia.
Per gator’s post, if you are injured down there, although that is one part of my body I have not injured (gonna add it to the short list), I am real confident in saying if you fuck it up it will be a slow healer.
There’s no pain. I felt some pressure on the first set, lowered the weight a bit and finished the rest with a mild pressure. It was really just a strange feeling. I’ve had something similar by my stomach as well but did the same thing, lowered the weight and took it easier and never had any problems in the same area again. Does it sound like the onset of a hernia?
Thanks for the good advice, would briefs be of any benefit? or are they just covering up the problem?
I really don’t even know if the feeling will be there the next time I’m at the gym. I only have 2 more lower body days before the meet and they both aren’t very demanding. I’ll definitely play it by ear and make sure I’m listening to my body
Oh yeah briefs are a great benefit for any squatter for good longevity in the sport, but if you have hernia, I feel it could nake it worse due to the pressure your building inside your abdomnial wall. Go see a Dr. My hernia burned rather then hurt per se.
Then I began to notice the belly button starting to become in outtie. Like my fellow hernia victim above states, I too can push it back in, gross huh!!!
[quote]
I’ve got my first powerlifting meet coming up July 4th. Last Heavy squat workout I felt a weird sense of pressure down by my grundle on the right side behind my balls. It was very uncomfortable, not painful but felt like if I went heavier or faster I’d have an injury there. [/quote]
Hey Poper,
ummm…exactly where? on a testicle or well, what do you mean by “behind my balls…?” I ask this because I had a similar symptom that turned out to be epididymitis - an testicular infection that ain’t dangerous, but it is increasingly painful, felt in the back of a testical, sort of in the “cords.”
[quote]Jason12345 wrote:
Man I dont want to ever get a hernia!! So will wearing compression shorts help with preventing hernia???[/quote]
Jason,
No, compression shorts will not prevent this. Many hernias are simply hereditary and some are due to relatitively weak abdominal walls due to poor conditioning. A piece of lycra won’t make a bit of difference.
Yeah, especially when they fix it w/ a patch of kevlar stitched to your abdominal tissue. My Dr. told me my abs are strong enough right now that I’m safe from surgery, and I can still powerlift full time. You must train the hell out of your abs to fight this though.
[quote]Gatorarmz wrote:
Yeah, especially when they fix it w/ a patch of kevlar stitched to your abdominal tissue. My Dr. told me my abs are strong enough right now that I’m safe from surgery, and I can still powerlift full time. You must train the hell out of your abs to fight this though.[/quote]
I read above you had an umbilical hernia. I know training your abs can prevent a hernia, but can doing so “cure” it, at least temporarily? In your opinon?
For my part, my umbilical hernia came and went and I developed a theory that when I increased the abdominal muscle mass, this created a smaller umbilical channel; and, when I was eating tons of vegetables and no white carbs, this created less inflammation in the intestines. So, the theory goes, no hernia for a while anway till my habits changed
I finally “caved” and got the operation - which, as I mentioned, failed.
I don’t think anything will cure it. I have just decided to live w/ it and press on w/ my training. I think all of my stronger training partners have one too. We all hit our abs pretty hard so I think this just keeps it under control.
I like your theory on diet though. That sounds like the best advice I’ve ever heard. I can definitely feel my umbilical hernia after I eat then go train. Once my food is broke down it seems to go back to normal. Or I just push my palm into my belly button and wait for it relax.
It is more annoying than painful for me. It actually never hurts, I just happened to notice it in the mirror one day, went and showed my Dr. and he confirmed my fear. Then he called a sissy and told me not to worry about it, that it is common in powerlifters anyways.
My Dr. is also a powerlifter so what are you gonna do?
[quote]Gatorarmz wrote:
…so what are you gonna do?[/quote]
Well, my doc used the suture method - the top half tore, so I’m sticking out again - but this time it’s not sticking out nearly as much (like the size of a marble)
The most important thing is: it doesn’t hurt, even after I workout. So I’m just going to keep my abs strong, eat well, and keep an eye on it. Hopefully it just stays at it is, because I’m not that interested in putting a piece of propolyne in me or any other synthetic mesh…
Thanks all for the advice. My meet was canceled so I’m taking the next week real easy and starting hitting the weights heavy again when the week is over.
The feeling wasn’t actually in my testicles but behind them, I think the real name for that area is the perineum. Anyhow I feel fine now and this week is an easy week. I always hit my Abs hard too so I think I’ll be alright.
