If you’re strict about your fitness routine but you’re about to have a colonoscopy, you might find it reassuring to know that you’ll likely be advised to avoid working out for a mere 24 hours. Jefferson Health, a healthcare system in the Philadelphia area, notes that you should avoid exercise for a full day after a colonoscopy.
The procedure uses a camera attached to a tube to look inside the colon and rectum, which make up most of your large intestine, while you’re sedated, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). During a colonoscopy, your doctor is on the lookout for inflammation, ulcers, polyps, and abnormal tissue that may be cancerous. Polyps can even be removed during the procedure, while abnormal tissue may be biopsied and tested for cancer.
Screening colonoscopies are done when you don’t have symptoms. They’re a way to make sure you don’t have cancer or other health conditions, or that anything you have is caught early. Your doctor will recommend a first screening colonoscopy at age 45 if you have no gastrointestinal symptoms or cancer risk factors. Diagnostic colonoscopies may be done to investigate symptoms.
Returning to Exercise After a Colonoscopy
Jefferson Health’s advice not to exercise for 24 hours following a colonoscopy isn’t due to the procedure itself, but because the anesthetic sedation that is usually required to perform the procedure can affect your abilities, such as coordination. Heading to the gym or attempting a run soon after being anesthetized can be dangerous.
If you’ve had a standard procedure, you should be able to resume normal activities, including your exercise regimen, after the 24-hour waiting period. Double-check with your doctor that this is true in your case. UMass Memorial Health, a healthcare network in central Massachusetts, suggests starting with walking once your doctor clears you to resume workouts.
Prep for the Procedure
You may even want to schedule your workouts before the procedure so they don’t coincide with preparation for a colonoscopy. During prep, you’re typically instructed to avoid solid food the day before the procedure, Mayo Clinic notes. On a liquid diet, you may not have as much energy as you usually do to work out, anyway.
All solids must be emptied from the gastrointestinal tract before a colonoscopy. To achieve this, you’ll be instructed to consume a clear liquid diet. Clear liquids include broth, pulp-free fruit juices, water, plain coffee or tea, sports drinks like Gatorade, and gelatin, NIDDK notes. You’ll need to avoid liquids with red or purple food coloring, as this can be mistaken for blood during the test.
A laxative or enema is usually taken the night before a colonoscopy to empty your bowels completely. This is so your doctor can see the lining of your colon during the test. You’ll need to inform your doctor of any medications and supplements you take so they can provide you with specific instructions. You may need to adjust dosages or skip certain medications or supplements.
What to Expect From a Colonoscopy
A colonoscopy is usually about a 30- to 60-minute procedure, Mayo Clinic notes. It’s typically done at an outpatient surgical center or a hospital, according to NIDDK. When you enter the exam room, you will be asked to lie on your side on an examination table. Then you’ll typically be sedated to help you relax and minimize any discomfort.
A tubed scope with a small camera on the end is moved through your large intestine, which is inflated with air for a better view. The camera sends video images to a monitor, allowing your doctor to inspect the lining of the colon and rectum. If necessary, the doctor performs biopsies (removing small samples of tissue for testing), and removes any polyps or abnormal tissue.
Recovery From the Sedation
Following a colonoscopy, you’ll need to wait up to an hour before you can go home, NIDDK notes. You’ll still need someone to drive you home, however, because it can take a day for sedation effects to fully wear off, according to Mayo Clinic. Your doctor may share any colonoscopy findings with you before you leave.
You may experience bloating or pass gas because of the air used to inflate your colon, but these symptoms will typically resolve within hours. It’s also normal to have a small amount of bleeding from the anus if you’ve had polyps removed, or for blood to appear in your first bowel movement after the procedure.
Consult your doctor if you continue to pass blood clots, or if you have persistent abdominal pain or a fever. While they’re not common, these symptoms of complications can occur immediately, within a few days, or may be delayed by as much as one to two weeks. They require medical attention, no matter when they occur. If you’ve had a biopsy, ask your care team when results are expected.
Always follow your doctor’s discharge instructions after a colonoscopy, and make sure they want you to stick with the general recommendation to avoid exercise for 24 hours. If your procedure involves polyp removal or a biopsy, they may advise you to wait longer.
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