How can an elderly person suddenly develop a hernia? Why is it that the elderly are so prone to hernia? The reasons are as follows: 1. Weakness of the abdominal wall The elderly generally have less activity and often lack the necessary abdominal muscle exercise, which can lead to degenerative lesions of the abdominal wall muscles, making the abdominal muscles gradually weak. When the occurrence of long-term cough, urinary difficulties and other reasons caused by increased intra-abdominal pressure, the viscera can protrude through the abdominal wall muscles, forming an external hernia or hernia. 2, long-term constipation Elderly people can suffer from long-term constipation due to reduced tone of the smooth muscles of the colon, abdominal muscles, diaphragm and levator muscles, weakened rectal reflexes, as well as poor dietary and bowel habits and weakness, which can increase intra-abdominal pressure and lead to hernias. The elderly have poorer immunity, atrophy of the respiratory mucosa, lower secretion function, and slower defense response of the larynx. The bronchial mucosa also atrophies, the ciliated epithelium of the mucosa is shed and reduced, and the motility of the cilia is weakened. In conclusion, increased intra-abdominal pressure is the culprit of hernia, so we should actively treat various diseases that increase abdominal pressure, such as preventing respiratory infections, controlling prostatic hyperplasia, and keeping bowel movements open, etc. At the same time, we can strengthen the abdominal muscles by means of exercise to reduce the chances of recurrence after surgery. The main exercise methods include sit-ups, flat leg lifts and abdominal massage.