Hello everyone,

I'm curious to know if anyone else's surgeon has stated the same thing as mine has. My surgeon is very well regarded with decades of experience with fistulas and I had a fistulotomy 12 weeks ago which is now almost healed. I am a power-lifter and at my post-operation check up a mere two weeks after my fistulotomy I asked him when I could return to heavy weight lifting and body building and, to my shock, he said I could immediately as he was certain it would not affect the wound. Has anyone else had their surgeon give them the green light so early? I went ahead and got back into my lifting schedule and haven't had any problems (although I have yet to return to squats....just seem too scared to do them given the location, although I have been doing heavy deadlifts since two weeks after the surgery). Any other weight lifters here that had a similar experience? I trusted my surgeon and, thus far, have not noticed any problems.

Well, speculating about it while I type this out, the wound is opened up so there is no need to keep it closed. I think that is the main reason why they say not to lift heavy things or strain yourself after surgery, to avoid having the stitches pop and the wound open up, but you don't have that problem since your wound is supposed to be laid open.

I would assume the main thing to worry about is keeping it clean, sweat and bacteria building up can be bad so I would shower and change gauze immediately afterwards. I am currently changing gauze about 4-6 times per day.

As for heavy lifting, it kind of scares me now. I don't know if prolapsing your anus is any higher of a possibility now, but I don't want to chance it. Go easy out there and good luck.

My CRS pretty much told me to cool my jets when I asked him about getting back into running when I was about 4 weeks post-op and feeling really good. He had me wait until I was 8 weeks post-op and completely healed.

I would guess it depends on the exercise and the risk of irritation and also just the surgeon in general.

I was given the green light to start working out again. I hadn't because of my own apprehensions. Now after having a sphincterotamy I was still given consent to do so.

So long as there are no stitches I think lifting weights is just fine. My surgeon explained that even hemrrohids (which can be caused by heavy weightlifting), while uncomfortable, have no effect on fistulotomy healing or recurrence of fistula. Keeping clean is the most important. Sweat won't cause an infection alone, but if you leave it to fester and mix with other skin bacteria it can.

That's exactly the same guidance I received. I just need to get my mental back together to start working out again myself.