Long Term Damage from AIWB?

[Nephrology]

Hehe. All good. He said it “felt like a hernia” but hernia was ruled out by imaging.

I’m still voting for poking things in the squishy crease of the leg when sitting.

I’ve forgotten all my gross anatomy. But won’t ever forget the cadaver lab smell….

Haha, ironically I wasn't that interested in cadaver lab anatomy - the smell didn't help. Sort of a surprise I would up in surgery. Real deal is a lot more engaging. Smell can be plus or minus context dependent

As someone who carries AIWB with a double stack daily, I’m sure what you’re saying may apply to some circumstances, but I think this likely isn’t one of them. In my case, traditional IWB carry causes me significant discomfort, and sciatic nerve pain.

Yeah I think its also worth considering that carrying strongside OWB/IWB isn't great for one's back either. Probably especially if you also have a long career of carrying lots of other weight on your belt.

Either way I think it's not likely that carrying a firearm is going to be the most terrible, self-harmful behavior we engage in regularly. More likely that will be what we shovel into our mouths every day and the amount of time we spend seated.

[Yute]

Hernias as so incredibly common in the general population it would be hard to prove that AIWB could be a cause.

Could it be:
The hernia was already present and it was just a coincidence that pain occurred when starting to AIWB ?
The hernia symptoms were aggravated by AIWB?
The hernia was caused by AIWB?

There is also a potential issue of confounding, e.g. are AIWB users, because they are more combatives oriented, more likely to engage in activities that predispose them to hernias such as wrestling?

Note that one of the conservative treatments of an inginual hernia is hernia underwear that splints the hernia in place (https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/..._AC_SX569_.jpg) - which is basically what a AIWB holster does.


It is possible that severe compression of the femoral vein could affect venous return (resulting in edema and in extreme cases blood clots) or injury the femoral nerve. This likely can be mitigated by holsters that have a lot of surface area to distribute force in the femoral region.

There is a rare disorder called May-Thurner syndrome which causes numbness and blood clots in the left leg (but not the right) due to the compression of the right illiac artery on the left illiac vein. It would be interesting to see if left handed AIWB carries would be at greater risk for this disorder.

Given the variation of body types, we should acknowledge that some people's anatomy is not conducive to AIWB.

As the old doctor joke goes:
Patient: "Doctor, doctor, it hurts when I push here"
Doctor: "Well, don't do that then"

Disclaimer: Not a surgeon. Just the type of doctor that makes you turn your head and cough.

[Irelander]

@Nephrology
I had inguinal hernia repair via open surgery with mesh back in January. The healing ridge under the incision is almost gone. Are there any medical concerns with carrying AIWB after such surgery? My JMCK George lays directly on the incision.

[Nephrology]

@Nephrology
I had inguinal hernia repair via open surgery with mesh back in January. The healing ridge under the incision is almost gone. Are there any medical concerns with carrying AIWB after such surgery? My JMCK George lays directly on the incision.

I’m not your doctor and don’t give medical advice online but if I had a well healed skin incision I would personally not have a problem with carrying appendix as long as it was still comfortable

[steve]

@Nephrology
I had inguinal hernia repair via open surgery with mesh back in January. The healing ridge under the incision is almost gone. Are there any medical concerns with carrying AIWB after such surgery? My JMCK George lays directly on the incision.

I have no medical background but have had 3 inguinal hernias fixed with mesh. The right side ripped after 14 years. The surgery was in 2006 so I am sure things are better now. I wore my cuffs up front on the right side of my gun belt for years and often wonder if the gun belt and cuff case rubbed me wrong. I had the incision ridges also and they are now gone.

[Nephrology]

I have no medical background but have had 3 inguinal hernias fixed with mesh. The right side ripped after 14 years. The surgery was in 2006 so I am sure things are better now. I wore my cuffs up front on the right side of my gun belt for years and often wonder if the gun belt and cuff case rubbed me wrong. I had the incision ridges also and they are now gone.

Usually mesh hernia repairs are done such that the mesh is in between layers of abdominal wall muscle or deeper. There were also a couple mesh products that were recalled in the last 15-20 years because they had unacceptably high rates of failure. I'm not sure that I'd attribute the mesh failure to the gun belt specifically

[Spartan1980]

I had an inguinal repair done by open surgery also. Surgeon gave me the option of mesh or no. He said I'd be back in a year doing it again if I went laparoscopic and mesh. So he did it old school and sewed me back together. All good after 20+ years. I carry on the other side but wouldn't think twice about it if I was a lefty. My surgeon said the absolute best thing you can do to prevent inguinal hernia is to stretch before anything strenuous. Coughing is actually good for doing that.

[RevolverRob]

Sitting for long periods of time is the reason shoulder holsters exist.

[Hizzie]

@Nephrology
I had inguinal hernia repair via open surgery with mesh back in January. The healing ridge under the incision is almost gone. Are there any medical concerns with carrying AIWB after such surgery? My JMCK George lays directly on the incision.

The incisions from my right hip labral repair were sensitive to pressure for years. There’s a very good chance you might not be able to tolerate a holster there.

[JPedersen]

I am transitioning back to leather holsters because kydex against the skin causes hot spots that get raw feeling that lasts a few days. Undergarments aren't always feasible and adding backer like mole skin only prolongs the inevitable. It is easier just to get quality leather than try to find a way to make kydex work.

@Crazy Dane and others...

I am curious what model leather holsters you have landed on for AIWB. I am on the hunt and could use some suggesitons.