How to Exercise Safely With Hidradenitis Suppurativa
Hidradenitis SuppurativaYour Guide to Managing HS

Best Exercises if You Have Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS)

Best Exercises if You Have Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS)
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Updated on January 10, 2025
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Exercising when you have hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), a chronic inflammatory skin condition, can be challenging.

HS causes inflammation within hair follicles in certain areas of the body — particularly the armpits, thighs, buttocks, under the breasts, and in the groin area — leading to the formation of painful nodules and abscesses.

Even contact with clothing can hurt, and sweating and friction from movement just make things worse.

However, regular exercise has benefits for everyone, including preventing or managing chronic conditions such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Exercise can also have a positive effect on sleep, mood, and energy.

It can also help with weight loss and weight management, and there’s some evidence that losing excess weight can improve symptoms of HS.

But how do you overcome the difficulties of exercising with HS so that you can access the benefits?

Types of Exercises to Try

“I encourage all our patients to try to establish a good exercise routine, and that can be different for every patient,” says Benjamin Kaffenberger, MD, a dermatologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. “But it’s challenging for most patients, due to pain, and body weight can also be a significant challenge.”

The key to exercising with HS is to recognize the condition’s challenges for certain activities and modify those activities as necessary. This can include changing your exercise clothing, trying a new activity, and taking steps to control sweating.

When you have HS, your exercise routine may differ from other people’s, including others who have the condition. “It’s a very individual thing,” says Dr. Kaffenberger. “What’s key is finding activities that don’t cause pain and that you enjoy doing.”

Whether you’re new to exercise or trying out a new activity, Kaffenberger recommends starting slowly. “It’s not just going out and running a marathon the next day,” he says. “It’s taking smaller steps in the first place.”

Where you work out might also make a difference. For example, working out at home gives you the privacy you need if you’re concerned about the appearance of your skin. Another option is remote personal training, where a qualified personal trainer works with you online to find a workout that fits your level of activity, all in the comfort of your own home.

Swimming

Swimming can be a good choice, “because your skin isn’t rubbing on itself much,” says Kaffenberger. “The water lubricates it.” In addition, he says, the chlorine in swimming pools can help by controlling the growth of bacteria on the skin.

Working out in a pool, whether it’s aqua aerobics or swimming laps, can also help with overheating and sweating too much. However, avoid entering swimming pools if HS lesions are oozing fluid.

Walking

Simply walking is an excellent way to get active, especially if you’re not used to more intense exercise. “Start with 30 minutes of walking three times a week, and increase that over time,” Kaffenberger suggests. You can also increase the pace of your walk for more fitness benefits.

Walking can improve your cholesterol numbers and lower high blood pressure, as well as promote weight loss.

Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, and Qigong

HS scarring can restrict your ability to move due to thickening of the tissue. Usually this occurs in the underarms and groin.

For people with a limited range of motion, gentle activities that promote balance, agility, and coordination like yoga (adapted as needed), Pilates, tai chi, and qigong may be helpful options.

Kaffenberger recommends yoga since it involves slow movements that cause minimal skin friction. A 20-to 30-minute session two to three days a week may offer some benefits.

Strength Training

Strength training can have a positive effect on blood sugar, pressure, and cholesterol while boosting your mood at the same time. People with HS should aim to practice strength training two or more days a week. This may involve 8 to 12 reps of an exercise using free weights, body weight, resistance bands, or exercise machines at the gym.

Before starting a new strength training routine, check with your doctor if you have any kind of preexisting condition, such as heart disease or osteoporosis, that could affect your ability to exercise safely.

What to Wear

A guiding principle of exercising with HS is minimizing skin-on-skin contact, according to Kaffenberger. One way to do that is by choosing your fitness wear carefully.

To avoid HS flare-ups, look for clothing that minimizes friction in your thighs, groin, and armpits, such as compression shorts and fitted tops.

In addition, choose workout clothing made of fabrics that can wick sweat away from the skin, such as:

  • Elastane
  • Lycra
  • Nylon
  • Polyester
  • Spandex

Shirts, shorts, and tights made of such fabrics can be good options, says Kaffenberger.

Underwear is another important consideration, with cellulose-derived rayon, bamboo fibers, moisture-wicking material, and cotton providing the best relief. Briefs or high-cut briefs can help to keep any moisture-wicking dressings stable.

Sports bras or camisole tanks with built-in, wireless bras can also help to reduce rubbing in the breast area, where people often experience HS symptoms. You can also position special sweat-wicking sheets in the deep folds of the thighs, groin, and armpits to keep those areas drier.

“These [dressings] separate skin and wick away moisture during exercise or at other times you’re prone to sweating,” Kaffenberger says.

Dealing With Sweat

For many people with HS, perspiration can cause a burning sensation on the skin. “If you have early-stage disease and it’s not particularly active, sweat probably isn’t a big issue at all,” says Kaffenberger. “But as the disease gets more severe and there are chronic open areas, sweating can become very painful.”

Here’s how to reduce sweating if you’re exercising with HS:

  • Wear moisture-wicking fabrics. As discussed above, wearing these when you exercise can help reduce the effects of sweat.
  • Work out in a well-ventilated area. If you’re indoors at home, try using an electric fan to create a breeze in your workout area. Plan to exercise outdoors only in cooler weather, or stick to shaded areas.

  • Use an antiperspirant. A spray-on formulation can be easier to apply than stick or liquid versions. Look for fragrance-free, hypoallergenic products to reduce the chance of irritation from your antiperspirant.

     According to the American Academy of Dermatology, antiperspirants containing alcohol, baking soda, parabens, dyes, or fragrance are more likely to cause irritation and should be avoided.

What to Do After Exercise: Cool Down, Stretch, Shower

After your workout, be sure to cool down and stretch to maintain flexibility and reduce muscle tension.

Also, be sure to drink water after the workout (as well as before and during) to avoid dehydration, which may worsen HS symptoms.

Shower as soon as you can after your workout. This will reduce the amount of time sweat stays on your skin. Your dermatologist may recommend an antibacterial body wash to combat bacteria buildup, especially before shaving.

If you can’t shower immediately after exercising, change out of your sweaty clothes and put on clean ones to help stay dry in the meantime.

The Takeaway

  • Exercising with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) might be tricky, but choosing low-impact activities such as swimming or yoga can be gentle on the skin.
  • It's important to wear moisture-wicking clothing to keep your skin drier and to modify activities to suit your needs.
  • If you’re new to exercise or are trying a new activity, start slowly, and consult your dermatologist as necessary for advice on balancing skin care with an effective workout routine.
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Lydia-J-Johnson-bio

Lydia J. Johnson, MD

Medical Reviewer
Member of American College of Lifestyle Medicine
Lydia Johnson, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist. Her medical career of more than 20 years has included work in private practice and in an academic medical center, as well as various medical leadership positions, including department chair. In 2020, Dr. Johnson embarked upon a passionate journey to utilize her medical knowledge and experience to help create a more widespread and lasting impact on the individual and collective health of our community. She is doing this as a board-certified lifestyle medicine physician, board-certified dermatologist, and certified health coach.

Johnson envisions a future of healthcare that prioritizes and values maintenance of health, holistic well-being, and disease prevention. Through lifestyle medicine certification, she is committed to being a part of that transformation. As a coach, she empowers others to enjoy lives of optimal well-being and identify the ways to do so through lifestyle behaviors that are accessible to all. Her purpose is to help others thrive in all aspects of their lives, with a foundation of optimal health.
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Adam Felman

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Adam is a freelance writer and editor based in Sussex, England. He loves creating content that helps people and animals feel better. His credits include Medical News Today, Greatist, ZOE, MyLifeforce, and Rover, and he also spent a stint as senior updates editor for Screen Rant.

As a hearing aid user and hearing loss advocate, Adam greatly values content that illuminates invisible disabilities. (He's also a music producer and loves the opportunity to explore the junction at which hearing loss and music collide head-on.)

In his spare time, Adam enjoys running along Worthing seafront, hanging out with his rescue dog, Maggie, and performing loop artistry for disgruntled-looking rooms of 10 people or less.

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Resources
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  4. Hidradenitis suppurativa: Signs and symptoms. American Academy of Dermatology Association. May 3, 2022.
  5. Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Self-Care. American Academy of Dermatology. May 2, 2022.
  6. Hidradenitis Suppurativa Exercise Guide: Tips for Managing Symptoms During Workouts. Canadian Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation.
  7. HS Patient Guide. HS Foundation. March 23, 2023.