Active Martial Artists with Ostomies - Experiences?

I would love to get involved in martial arts again.  Not sure how good it would be to take a punch or kick to the gut with my ostomy.  Hmmm....Don't know if I would enjoy it if I couldn't fight anymore...

I did martial arts for about 15 years after my ileo, I never had any problems, just wear a stoma guard (if they punch your stoma guard it will hurt them more than you lol). I had to stop because of balance problems.  Don't let an ostomy stop you from doing something you enjoy, if you feel well enough get out there and have some fun.

I know what you're saying about fearing not being able to fight anymore. For the past 30 years, I've been conditioned by my mentor and friend Sifu (who spent his entire life always ready to defend himself, always on alert) to channel what the Chinese call 'CHI', which has its strongest base located in the abdomen area where I was operated on (colorectal surgery) three times, March of this year being the latest op. The fear that I have is normal fear, the very same fear that guides us in our defense and offense whereupon we are able to prevail in a given situation.

Because I study Chinese martial arts, and Tai Chi Chuan in particular, the ability to defend the affected areas is somewhat effective (with the help of a stoma guard). Since the art uses your opponent's momentum and force against him (much like aikido), there is a better potential for not disturbing the affected areas of your body.

I agree about the stoma guard. It adds a degree of confidence in knowing that if someone hit you in the stoma (with the guard on), it will definitely hurt them much more, and you will probably only feel a slight moment of pressure.

I am 2.5 years into having to wear an ostomy bag... My strength has weakened because of an everyday routine of Zeloda to fight the remains of colorectal cancer... Subsequently, I sought an alternative to kicking and punching for self-defense... I don't need it, but when away from my comfort zone, I use a cane that I have become really proficient with... Taught to me by a black belt who specializes in stick fighting, it is a good alternative, and not that I have had to use it... it makes me feel confident and secure as a 58-year-old man can be in any hand-to-cane situation... We all hate the cards dealt to us and certainly wish it never happened... but we deal with it as best we can... Good luck with your choices...

🔒 Login to see image

  I love that you even want to fight again...

🔒 Login to see image

Staying Hydrated with an Ostomy with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister

Hi,

I got some foam rubber, the kind that you can put a raw egg under and hit with a hammer, and the egg won't break. I wear a light support belt, stick the rubber over the ostomate, and hold it in place with a rubber sports belt. My Gi and rank belt offer some protection, and the whole thing is flexible and secure. I haven't had a real full-on hit yet directly to the stoma, but some close ones. (They hurt, but no damage to my stoma.) I have thought about making a full belt out of the foam, as I have not been able to build up my stomach muscles for fear of getting a hernia from doing crunches. I have really given some thought to changing to Aikido.

Hi Aikiangel ~ here's some info on ab exercises:





So how about the best ab exercise known to man? Or at least to a reputable scientific journal? It's called a combination Swiss ball pike and roll-out.



Sounds like a medieval torture device, but it's actually easy to learn and extremely efficient. In fact, you can probably get a killer ab workout by doing this move fewer than 10 times. "If someone was looking at one exercise and wanted to make sure he was getting the most abdominal work done in a way that makes him look better and function better," says trainer Nick Tumminello, "this is the exercise to do."



To start the pike/roll-out, simply hold yourself in a pushup position with your feet on a Swiss ball. (To make the exercise easier, move the Swiss ball towards your belly button.) With your body in a plank (straight) position, keep your legs straight and push your hips towards the ceiling while keeping your back flat. After straightening your hips and coming back to the start position, push your body backwards on the ball until your arms are fully extended in front of you and your legs are fully extended behind you.



Why does this work so well? As the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy states: "The roll-out and pike were the most effective exercises in activating upper and lower rectus abdominis, external and internal obliques, and latissimus dorsi muscles, while minimizing lumbar paraspinals and rectus femoris activity."



Translation: The exercise forces your abdominals to work the hardest while your lower back and hip flexors -- areas that can take over in other traditional ab exercises -- are almost completely left out. So while a crunch works your abs but only with help from other areas, the roll-out pike isolates your abs much more effectively.

I belonged to a karate studio where I took kickboxing lessons for six years. I haven't belonged to that studio for a while now, but I still take martial arts at my gym. The instructor is a 12th-degree black belt, and he kicks butt; however, there is no sparring or contact, we just work out and do karate moves, which is still fun. I used to worry about leakage, etc., but I can't let that rule my life. There was an athlete in the last Summer Olympics who had an ostomy and didn't let that deter him. Hopefully, that story will be an inspiration to you!

Glad you're keeping active

🔒 Login to see image

~  I've heard they make "sports cups" for ostomies, to protect the stoma during contact sports. Here's a link I found http://www.ostomyarmor.com/  That said, as long as they kick an empty bag, there should be no "foul play" ha ha.



Marcella

Hi,

I'm a 41 year old with an 11 year old ileostomy. I do Muay Thai.

I use the following shield which fits perfectly because of the Dome Air Tech indentations. The ostomy goes right into one of them with an extra small plastic protector, which I purchased separately:

https://www.combatsports.com/combat-sports-dome-air-tech-belly-pad.html

and the small protector underneath, just in case:

https://www.easymedshealth.com/products/ostoshield-res50-stoma-protector-with-out-belt

 

I get hit pretty hard, but feel nothing and there is absolutely no damage to the stoma.

Good luck!