How often should I walk around after hernia surgery?

September 27, 2025 •

4 min read

Within 24 to 48 hours after hernia surgery, most patients are encouraged to begin walking in short, gentle intervals. Understanding how often should I walk around after hernia surgery? is critical for a safe recovery, as it promotes healing and prevents complications. This guide provides authoritative, week-by-week instructions for your post-operative activity.

Quick Summary

Start with several short, gentle walks a day, beginning within 24 to 48 hours after surgery, and gradually increase the duration and frequency. Adhering to a progressive walking schedule, while listening carefully to your body, helps prevent complications, improves circulation, and speeds up your overall recovery time. Your surgeon's specific advice should always be your primary guide.

Key Points

Start Early and Gentle: Begin walking 5-10 minutes at a time within 24-48 hours post-surgery, focusing on frequent, short sessions indoors to promote blood flow.
Increase Duration Gradually: By weeks 2-4, slowly increase your walking time to 15-30 minutes and begin walking outdoors on flat, even surfaces.
Listen to Your Body: Stop any activity that causes pain or discomfort; pain is your body's signal to slow down and avoid overexertion.
Understand Procedure Differences: Recovery speed and exercise guidelines can differ based on the type of surgery (laparoscopic vs. open), so always follow your surgeon's specific advice.
Incorporate Light Exercise Cautiously: With your doctor's clearance, low-impact activities like stationary biking or swimming can be added around 4-6 weeks post-surgery.
Consult Your Surgeon: Always get medical clearance before resuming any strenuous activities, heavy lifting, or intense core exercises to prevent complications.
Monitor for Warning Signs: Be vigilant for signs of complication like fever, increased pain, or swelling, and contact your doctor immediately if they appear.

Immediate Post-Surgery (First 1-7 Days)

Following hernia repair, gentle, brief walks are a critical component of your recovery, not an option. The initial goal is to avoid prolonged bed rest, which can increase risks like blood clots and constipation. For the first week, focus on frequent, short intervals of movement rather than long, strenuous sessions. This helps stimulate blood flow without over-straining the surgical site.

Starting your walking routine

Frequency: Aim for several walks per day. This could be as simple as walking to and from the bathroom every few hours, or taking a few laps around the living room.
Duration: Keep early walks brief, around 5 to 10 minutes at a time. If you feel discomfort, stop immediately.
Location: Stay indoors at first, navigating a flat, familiar surface. Avoid stairs, hills, or uneven terrain until you feel stronger and more stable.
Pace: Walk at a slow, comfortable, and gentle pace. This is not the time for speed or endurance, but rather for maintaining mobility.

Weeks 2-4: Increasing Your Activity

As your initial post-operative pain and swelling subside, you can begin to increase the duration and distance of your walks. The key during this phase is still gradual progression, with caution.

Expanding your routine

Duration: By the second week, you can increase your walks to 15 minutes, once or twice a day. By weeks three to four, you may be ready for 30-minute sessions.
Frequency: As you increase duration, you can also increase frequency, if comfortable. Listen to your body and pay attention to how you feel afterward.
Stretching: Gentle stretching can be introduced after your walks to maintain muscle flexibility and range of motion, but only with your doctor's clearance.
Environment: You can begin walking outdoors, choosing flat, well-paved routes to minimize the risk of a fall.

Weeks 4-8: Incorporating Light Exercise

Around the one-month mark, significant healing has occurred. Most patients experience less pain and a return of energy. With your surgeon's approval, you can typically begin incorporating other low-impact activities alongside your walking routine.

Safe exercises to add

Stationary Biking: Gentle, low-resistance cycling on a stationary bike is often safe in this period.
Swimming: Once your incisions are completely healed and your doctor approves, swimming is an excellent low-impact option.
Elliptical: Using an elliptical machine at low resistance can be a good next step in your cardio regimen.

Comparison of Early Recovery Periods: Open vs. Laparoscopic Surgery


Feature	Open Hernia Repair	Laparoscopic Hernia Repair
Recovery Speed	Slower; often requires a more gradual return to activity.	Faster; light activity often can resume within 2-3 weeks.
Incision Size	Larger incision(s).	Multiple smaller incisions.
Initial Pain	Potentially more post-operative pain due to larger incisions.	Typically less initial pain due to smaller incisions.
Walking	Early, gentle walking is still recommended, but the pace and duration may be more conservative.	Early, gentle walking can be easier and less painful, allowing for slightly faster progression.
Return to Normal	Can take 4–6 weeks for a return to pre-surgery activity levels.	Often takes 2–3 weeks before a return to a more active daily routine is possible.

After Week 8: Returning to Strenuous Activity

By this point, most patients have significantly recovered, but it is essential to reintroduce more demanding physical activities with great care and under medical guidance. Your surgeon should clear you for weight lifting, running, or other strenuous sports.

Resuming rigorous exercise

Start slowly: Begin with lighter weights and fewer repetitions, focusing on form. Avoid heavy lifting until you are cleared and feel no strain.
Monitor your body: Pay close attention to how your body responds during and after exercise. Any unusual pain, swelling, or discomfort is a sign to stop and re-evaluate.
Core work: Reintroduce core-strengthening exercises, like planks or crunches, very cautiously and only after your doctor’s approval.

Key Considerations and Potential Red Flags

Listen to your body. This is the single most important rule of post-hernia surgery recovery. If something hurts, stop. Pushing through pain can lead to setbacks or even re-injury.

Talk to your doctor. Before beginning any new or more strenuous exercise, always get clearance from your surgeon. Their advice is tailored to your specific case, including the type of surgery and your overall health. For example, the timeline may differ significantly after a small inguinal hernia repair versus a large incisional hernia.

Monitor for complications. Be aware of warning signs that indicate a potential complication. These include fever, chills, persistent or worsening pain, excessive swelling, or pus/drainage from the incision site. If you experience these, contact your healthcare provider immediately. For more detailed information on post-operative care, consider visiting a reputable health information source like MyHealth Alberta.

Conclusion: A Gradual and Mindful Approach to Walking

Regular walking after hernia surgery is not only safe but highly beneficial for promoting circulation, preventing complications, and supporting a smooth recovery. The process is a marathon, not a sprint, and should be approached with patience and a commitment to listening to your body's signals. Start small and indoors, then progressively increase your duration and distance, all while staying in communication with your medical team. By following this gradual approach, you can confidently and safely return to your normal routine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most patients are encouraged to begin walking within 24 to 48 hours after surgery. These initial walks should be short and gentle, such as a few laps around your house, to promote circulation and prevent blood clots.

In the first week, your walks should be brief and frequent. Aim for several sessions of 5 to 10 minutes throughout the day. The focus is on gentle movement, not endurance.

Initially, it is safest to walk indoors on a flat, stable surface. Once you feel stronger, typically after the first week, you can move to walking outdoors on even ground. Avoid hills or uneven paths in the early stages of recovery.

Overexertion can strain the surgical site and lead to complications or pain. If you experience increased pain or discomfort, you should stop, rest, and consider slowing down your activity level. Listen to your body and consult your surgeon if symptoms worsen.

Yes, walking is one of the ways to help with constipation, which is a common issue after surgery due to anesthesia and pain medication. Gentle movement helps stimulate bowel function.

Walking helps in several ways: it improves blood circulation, which aids healing; it prevents blood clots; and it helps maintain muscle tone. It also provides psychological benefits by giving you a sense of progress.

While walking frequency and duration can gradually increase in the weeks following surgery, more strenuous activities usually require a longer wait. Most patients need 4 to 6 weeks for a gradual return to more intense exercise, and this should only be done with your surgeon's clearance.