Exercise and Hemorrhoids: Finding Activities That Won't Cause Flare-Ups

Hemorrhoids can interfere with your life in a variety of ways, and that includes your physical activity regimen. You might notice that your symptoms tend to get worse after you work out. That’s because intense exercise, and particularly anything that causes you to bear down on the hemorrhoid, can cause swelling.

That doesn’t mean you should avoid exercise altogether, though. In fact, staying active can help improve your symptoms. 

Here at Midwest Hemorrhoid Treatment Center, Betsy Clemens, MD, and our team can help you find the right balance. At our office in Town and Country, Missouri, we work with people with hemorrhoids to find treatment that works. In many cases, lifestyle changes, such as finding the right forms of exercise, can help people avoid surgery. 

Why exercise matters with hemorrhoids

Some activities can make your hemorrhoid symptoms worse. That doesn’t mean you should adopt a sedentary lifestyle, though. The right kinds of exercise can actually help you avoid flare-ups. 

Regular exercise helps to strengthen the anal muscles while increasing blood flow there (and throughout your body). This helps your supportive tissues work the way they should. 

Plus, exercise goes a long way toward helping you avoid constipation. It supports healthy digestion and encourages regular bowel movement. And few things can cause hemorrhoid symptoms to flare quite like being stopped up. 

In short, staying seated can make your symptoms worse and contribute to future flare-ups. The reverse is also true: getting moving minimizes flares. But that begs the question: what kind of exercise is safe with hemorrhoids?

Exercises to try (and avoid)

Avoid activities that cause you to bear down on your hemorrhoids. That includes weight lifting and movements like squats. It also helps to steer clear of anything that centers all of your weight around your butt, like cycling, rowing, or sit-ups. 

Instead, opt for gentler ways to get moving. Low-impact activities support healthy circulation and digestion, minimize hemorrhoid symptoms, and help you avoid future flare-ups. Walking is an excellent option. So are swimming and yoga. In fact, some yoga poses — like legs-up-the-wall pose or child’s pose — might help you feel more comfortable immediately. 

While you want to be mindful of how you strength train, certain activities can help you get stronger without flaring your symptoms. Glute bridges and plank pose can help you strengthen the muscles around your anus. That helps your supportive tissues perform better. 

If you do any strengthening exercises, make sure you breathe evenly through them. This helps you avoid bearing down. 

These are all general suggestions. To get personalized guidance paired with treatment for your hemorrhoids, call our office or use our online booking feature today.