Shooting after surgery

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FiveG

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Anyone have any guidance on how to wait to resume handgun shooting after abdominal surgery. Docs are saying to avoid exercise that will work abs (no sit-ups, crunches, planks) so muscles heal. While shooting isn't an obvious stressor there, I know with a proper stance there is some use of abs.

Not easy to ask most MDs that question so if anyone here has insight, beyond the 6-weeks to normal activity, I'd appreciate it.
 
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FiveG said:
Anyone have any guidance on how to wait to resume handgun shooting after abdominal surgery. Docs are saying to avoid exercise that will work abs (no sit-ups, crunches, planks) so muscles heal. While shooting isn't an obvious stressor there, I know with a proper stance there is some use of abs.

Not easy to ask most MDs that question so if anyone here has insight, beyond the 6-weeks to normal activity, I'd appreciate it.
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Only piece of advice. Do not rush anything. Shooting is more strenuous and impact more muscle groups than most people realize. When you'r allowed to do sit-ups, you can also resume shooting.
 
My wife had an emergency appendectomy 9 years ago (at age 55). It required a larger incision than most modern appendectomies and has a 2" scar. She was at 100% normal in 4 months but doing normal lifting (25 pounds) in 2 months. My daughter had triplets by caesarian section 10 year ago (at age 26) and she was almost a year.

A lot depends what is being operated on, your health and age. The Docs are more interested in your well being than an agenda you may disagree with!

When I had a stroke, I was forbidden to shoot. I reinstalled the discs that came in my Vaqueros and used them to dry fire at the TV commercials. It was a form of exercise that helped rebuild my coordination.

When my therapies were over I was also cleared to shoot, about the same time I was cleared to drive. The wife and daughter were cleared to drive about 25% of the way back to normal. (just for reference)

If you wish to avoid the word "GUN", ask about 3 pound weights for your arms. If you can dry fire for hours at the TV you should be fine for 22's and work your way up to more recoil. The old joke about ""Doc, it hurts when I do this." And he is told "don't do that."" let that be your guide!

Ivan
 
I had a partial knee replacement a couple of months ago, was told that tissue repair would take about 8 weeks. But my weight restriction (20lbs) was only for 6 weeks.
So I would guess the 8 week concept might also apply to most surgery, but I am only guessing.
 
I hang out at a shooting range three days a week, we have guys recover from open heart surgery shooting within six months. It all depends on your ability to heal and how you register pain. Some people have pain that according to them registers an 8 out of 10 on a 1-10 pain index. Another guy would probably say it was a 4. I have a rather high pain index, I've been busted up since I was a kid. I know people that have had to have opioids after having their wisdom teeth pulled.
Your doctor will in all likelihood give you a good reference, from that point its all up to you. My good buddy had to give up shooting large caliber black powder cartridge after having his shoulder worked on, now he shoots a 32-40....I got his 38-55 even that was a bit too much for him. Some of the guys go into shooting high quality .22's at 100yds. I shoot mostly black powder and we helped a guy recover from a torn ACL, he started out shooting a spring air rifle and eventually got back into shooting his .45 flintlock. The air rifle really helped his offhand shooting. Quality air rifles are great fun and you can shoot them in your basement, I shoot mine out in my shop, its against city ordinance to shoot outside. If I shoot off a bench mine will tear one ragged hole at 25 yds.
 
When I was 57 in 2007 I had my second spinal stenosis surgery one vertebrae lower than the first I had in repaired 1998. Being my Dr. had to take apart all the plates & bone he put in in 1998 to be able to repair the second stenosis I had to wait one year before I fired a gun, even a .22 LR. And I didn't fire a gun until he looked at my final MRI & gave me the go ahead.

Do what your Dr. tell you to do. Like me you aren't as smart as he is. Good Luck!
 
Anybody know when it is OK to shoot after cataract and retinal surgery? Never could remember to ask my doctor.
 
After gallbladder and pancreas surgery shot my 10/22 then worked up to M65 with .38 spl. I was on med leave a total of 6 months , got plenty of exercise picking up trash at the public range
 
Ask your physical therapist.

They are much more more involved in rehab progress than the surgeons.

Where the restrictions have legal consequences (like driving or work restrictions) the MD's opinion is what counts.
 
since 61 said:
Anybody know when it is OK to shoot after cataract and retinal surgery? Never could remember to ask my doctor.
Click to expand...

You should wait until you are COMPLETELY healed before shooting. The possibility of tearing tissue, displacing a retina or worse are too great so patience is a virtue in this case. Depending on certain factors, your doctor may not even want you anywhere near where other people are shooting, but his advice would definitely trump mine.
 
I was shooting a Model 18 about a month after triple bypass surgery, but any rifle was too painful to even consider. I believe that if you can survive the physical therapist torture routine, you can handle anything.
 
Your abdominal muscles engage during almost any activity you do. They stabilize your core for everything from pushing the brake pedal to bracing for recoil from a revolver. 6 weeks is a good general guideline for healing of abdominal muscles after surgery. There are other factors that can and do affect healing. Young people heal faster than older people do. It's just a fact of life. In addition to aging, other things like smoking, poor nutrition, heart disease, and diabetes can prolong the healing process. Always err on the side of patience and caution, especially if any of these apply to your own situation. Let pain be your guide. Once you can sit up and get out of bed without ANY discomfort, you're more than good to go with shooting. Start with .22 and work up as guided by comfort.
 
DeplorabusUnum said:
They stabilize your core for everything from pushing the brake pedal .....
Click to expand...
Ahhh yes, that was a surprise, when 30 days after abdominal surgery, I drove several hours on the autobahn and it hurt for two days.



Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk
 
Thanks everyone. Two months from surgery will be New Years Day. I'm figuring a chance to make a joyful noise will be my welcome to the New Year. I've already run the bloody snowblower.
 
prairieviper said:
I would certainly ask my doctor and pay heed to what he/she says.
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My friend golfed after back surgery and told the doctor it was not too bad. The doctor told him in no uncertain terms that he was not to be golfing at that point due to the twisting.
I'm not sure what side that lack of communication was on before this happened.
 
Shooting might be the light work, consider that you pick up your range gear and drag it to the car, lift it into the car, back out to the shooting position, back to the car, back to the house, etc. You get the picture. :-)
 
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