Exercising With a Urethral Stent

Your urinary tract consists of the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. Urine is manufactured in the kidneys and drains down the ureters to the bladder, where it is stored temporarily. When you urinate, urine passes from the bladder through the urethra to the outside. Some people may develop a urethral stricture, or narrowing of the urethra. A urethral stricture is treated temporarily or permanently with a urethral stent. This surgical procedure may affect your ability to exercise.

Urethral Stents

The urethra can become damaged as a result of injuries such as a pelvic fracture or from repeated urinary tract infections. Urethral strictures and blockages are treated with urethral stents. A urethral stent is a flexible, hollow tube made of plastic or metal. Your doctor will insert a tool called an endoscope into the urethra to insert the stent. A special kind of X-ray called fluoroscopy may be used to ensure the stent is correctly placed. Urethral stent placements are generally done as an outpatient procedure.

Walking Prevents Complications

A urethral stent placement is considered a minor procedure, but exercise is important to regain your health 1. You will usually be expected to get up and walk shortly after the procedure. Walking helps prevent complications such as blood clots or pneumonia. You should have someone help you the first few times you walk, as sometimes the medications used during the procedure or the pain killers you take afterwards can make you dizzy and compromise your balance.

Exercise

People respond differently to procedures such as urethral stent placements. Although it is possible to exercise strenuously with a stent in place, some people find they tire more easily. You may have some discomfort with exercise or pass blood in the urine with vigorous physical activity. ComprehensiveKidneyFacts.com recommends you moderate your physical activities while you have a stent in place 2. You may find that if your usual exercise routine includes running or jogging, you will need to change your program to walking until the stent is removed.

Problems

Some kinds of exercise may be more difficult with a urethral stent in place. If you are a male cyclist, you may find it uncomfortable to cycle with a urethral stent; the urethra runs along the bottom of the penis and friction from the bicycle seat may provoke discomfort. Vigorous exercise that causes considerable motion of the pelvis, such as aerobic dancing, may also be uncomfortable. Your doctor will tell you how much to exercise after getting a urethral stent and when you can resume your normal exercise program.