Varying convalescence recommendations for sport and heavy lifting after groin hernia repair: a nationwide survey among leading hernia surgeons

Background: Recent international hernia guidelines state that work and leisure activities after inguinal hernia repair can be resumed after a convalescence of three to five days for most patients. There is no specific recommendation for convalescence duration before resuming sport and heavy lifting. This nationwide survey aimed to assess leading hernia surgeons’ recommendations for convalescence after groin hernia repair and to explore their general opinions regarding convalescence. Methods: A validated questionnaire was sent to 32 leading groin hernia surgeons covering all Danish private and public hospitals. The primary outcome was convalescence recommendations following Lichtenstein and laparoscopic groin hernia repair for activities of daily living, light work, sport, and heavy lifting. Results: A total of 29 surgeons (91%) responded to the questionnaire. The surgeons generally agreed on resuming daily activities and light work as soon as possible according to the level of pain. For resumption of sport, the surgeons recommended a median convalescence of 14 days (IQR 10–23, range 7–30) after Lichtenstein repair and 14 days (IQR 10–21, range 7–30) after laparoscopic repair. Most of the surgeons instructed patients with a defined number of days before resuming heavy lifting, which after Lichtenstein repair was median 14 days (IQR 8–28, range 2–30) and after laparoscopic repair was median 21 days (IQR 14–30, range 7–30). None of the surgeons routinely prescribed sick leave. Seventeen surgeons (61%) thought that recommending a too short convalescence could cause complications, primarily recurrence, hematoma, and pain. Conclusion: This study revealed that surgeons agreed on the resumption of daily activities and light work as soon as possible according to the level of pain. However, a broad spectrum of convalescence recommendations was revealed for sport and heavy lifting.