Today's topic is very delicate, but it needs to be discussed. Find out what mistakes the athlete makes that lead to hemorrhoids and what to do about the problem. Everyone knows that sport improves health, and the gym helps to give the figure an athletic physique. Much attention is paid to the positive aspects of weight training. But there is also a downside to the coin. With an incorrectly selected working weight or excessive training intensity, the athlete may be injured. Many do not understand how the concepts of hemorrhoids and bodybuilding can be related. Everything is quite simple, with the wrong dosage of loads, this disease can visit any athlete. Today we will study this issue.
General information about hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids are swelling of tissues associated with enlarged veins in the anus. Blood vessels are located in the walls of the rectum and can bleed. The main reason for the appearance of hemorrhoids is associated with an increase in tissue and the subsequent weakening of their connection with the "frame". This disease is quite common and according to statistics, about 65% of the population had these problems.
Most often, hemorrhoids appear in people over 40 or women after pregnancy. It would seem that the risk group stands out very clearly, but the disease can also appear in young people who are in excellent physical shape. Such a disease is quite delicate and most often people are in no hurry to seek help from specialists. As a result, it progresses and only gets worse. Hemorrhoids can be of two types:
- Internal - the focus of the disease is located in the rectum. Specialists identify four stages in the development of internal hemorrhoids;
- External - development occurs from the outside of the anus.
There are many reasons for the development of the disease, but we will only talk about hemorrhoids and bodybuilding.
The impact of physical activity on hemorrhoids
All athletes are familiar with the axiom that the growth of muscle mass directly depends on the working weight. The ideal training option is constant progress, however small, in the working weights.
It is generally accepted that three movements contribute to the maximum mass gain: squats, bench press, and deadlift. At the same time, the implementation of these exercises leads to a strong tension of the abdominal muscles (to a greater extent, this applies to deadlifts and squats). This leads to a significant increase in pressure in the abdominal cavity.
Also, the use of weightlifting belts during exercise increases abdominal pressure by an average of 25%. All this cannot but affect the pressure of the small pelvis and the clamping of blood vessels, making it difficult for blood to access the rectum. The more time the athlete is under heavy load, the more blood is heated in the veins of the rectum, which leads to their strong increase. If a similar process occurs frequently, then hemorrhoids appear.
We can safely say that if an athlete begins to abuse some types of load, then the risk of developing the disease increases significantly. It is even worse if the athlete has a predisposition to the development of hemorrhoids. It is very simple to determine this, since there are only three signs of predisposition:
- A person or his family suffers from varicose veins;
- Frequent constipation;
- The person leads an inactive lifestyle.
What to do if hemorrhoids appear?
As can be understood from all of the above, hemorrhoids and bodybuilding are linked to each other. If you find signs of this disease in yourself, then use several recommendations.
Rule # 1
A sports medicine specialist should be consulted and consulted about the subsequent training program. It is important to pay special attention to the fact that the doctor has experience in the field of sports, since a proctologist from a simple clinic will not help you much. He can only recommend some drugs for treatment, such as Proctonol for hemorrhoids.
Rule # 2
It is necessary to exclude from the program the training of movements that cause active work of the abdominal muscles. It can be:
- Squats;
- Deadlift;
- Jerks and jerks;
- Army press;
- Dumbbell lunges;
- All cardio work involving friction - running, cycling, sprinting.
At a minimum, these exercises should be used much less often, if not excluded altogether.
Rule # 3
When lifting a working weight, you should focus on correct breathing. It is necessary to try to avoid its delay and descent in the direction of the anus. Before starting the lift, you should take a breath, the air should be pushed towards the throat when lifting the sports equipment and exhale completely.
Rule # 4
With developing hemorrhoids, weight work is contraindicated, but at the same time, all movements that can increase blood flow in the pelvic region provide a chance to benefit people who are already susceptible to the disease. So you can turn to yoga, take half-hour walks. If the work is related to the office, then it is necessary to get up every hour and perform hip bends. Kegel exercise is a very effective way to strengthen intimate muscles and improve blood flow.
Rule # 5
It is necessary to start taking various anti-hemorrhoidal medications that contain hydrocortisone. Very often in medicine, creams containing phenylephrine are used. This substance promotes the expansion of the blood vessels located in the rectum.
Rule # 6
When doing physical exercises, to a greater extent it refers to hard training sessions, it is necessary to constantly consume water, moisturizing the body. In addition, you should make sure that the clothes are not irritating or uncomfortable for you.
That's all I wanted to tell you about the connection between hemorrhoids and bodybuilding. Be careful when choosing working weights and training intensity.
You will learn useful information about hemorrhoids in bodybuilders from this video interview:
