Hernia Supports

Reduce hernia discomfort

Whether you are awaiting hernia surgery or just living with a hernia, managing your hernia symptoms can be an important concern for you. At Hernia Clinic Hampshire, we aim to help you reduce hernia discomfort and, if having surgery, improve your results using hernia supports.

Hernia supports are valuable resources to help you be more comfortable and get back to your usual activities both before and after surgery.

The majority of our patients surveyed who completed our Clinical Outcomes surveys would recommend hernia supports to other patients, finding that they relieved discomfort and helped them feel more confident returning to activity.

Why We Recommend Hernia Supports

Alleviate Symptoms and Improve Comfort

Hernia discomfort or pain comes from a hernia that is protruding through the abdominal wall. A pushed in hernia cannot cause symptoms. This is where hernia supports come in. When a hernia support is worn pre-surgery with a symptomatic hernia that can still be pushed back in, they can reduce hernia discomfort and improve symptoms by keeping the hernia pushed in. What is a hernia?

Quicker Recovery and Better Long-term Results

Hernia supports help your recovery by limiting post-operative pain and bruising. By limiting post-surgery pain early on, you will improve long-term comfort and have better results from your hernia repair. The hernia supports also enable you to move around earlier on, more comfortably and with less pain relief. Early mobility leads to better long-term results from your hernia repair.

Hernia Surgery Recovery Exercise Programme

Buy it here

Types of Hernia Support

Hernia Pants

Hernia pants control and support groin hernias, such as inguinal or femoral hernias.

They are very firmly fitting underpants that look exactly like Lycra boxer shorts. They are supplied with a pad fitted in front of the hernia to keep it reduced before repair.

Hernia pants are not trusses and we do not recommend hernia trusses post-surgery.

Abdominal Wall Hernia Support

Abdominal Wall Hernia Supports help control abdominal wall hernias, such as umbilical/ventral and most incisional hernias.

These supports help keep the hernia reduced before repair. Post-repair they make movement more comfortable, reducing the need for pain relief use and aiding mobility. This leads to better long-term outcomes.

How Do I Know Which Hernia Support to Get?

We are dedicated to helping you get high quality care for your hernia and provide details on where you can buy the best hernia pants based on previous patients’ recommendations and your diagnosis. This guidance will be discussed in your consultation and written in your Surgery Confirmation Letter.

Over 93% of our patients found that wearing the hernia supports helped them feel more confident returning to activity, and 99% recommend hernia pants to other patients undergoing a hernia repair.*

*Patients surveyed in our 2023/2024 Clinical Outcomes Survey for Hernia Clinic Hampshire

When to Use Hernia Supports

Pre-Surgery

Hernia supports can be used pre-surgery to help reduce any symptoms caused by the hernia.

First Few Days Post-Surgery

We use hernia supports as a pressure dressing worn day and night for the first 48-72 hours. This reduces bruising and swelling. This is important for providing comfort and predicting the risk of lasting post-surgery discomfort.

Post-Surgery

We advise you to wear a hernia support for comfort and extra support of the repair. It is important to be doing as much as is comfortable and safe in the immediate post operation period and beyond. For the first 2 weeks, there is no strength in the repair. At 4 weeks there is 50% strength and at 6-8 weeks, 80% strength. The hernia supports can reinforce the repair and your abdominal wall’s job of holding everything inside the abdomen. This can help you feel more confident returning to activity. You can stop using your hernia support once you feel just as comfortable or more comfortable doing your activities without it. This is a variable length of time based on their fit, your activity levels, and how you tend to worry about things generally.

When Do Hernia Supports Not Work?

Hernia supports will not work if your hernia cannot be reduced or if the supports are put in place while the hernia is not reduced. We recommend putting them on before you get out of bed in the morning.

It is also essential to get the right fit so buying the right size pants is very important.

Discuss your options

with our consultant surgeon