To the Editor.— Kerry's recent LETTER ( 218 :740, 1971) about repair and convalescence after inguinal herniorrhaphy leaves an impression that should be corrected. We would agree with Kerry that, generally speaking, the most strenous activities—those involving maximum effort—are better postponed until four weeks have elapsed from operation; thus, a National Hockey League player would be well advised to wait that long before resuming his regular schedule, and so would pianomovers, stevedores, and lumber jacks. However, after saying "... no participation in strenous activities, including athletics, until one month after operative repair of a hernia..." Kerry goes on: "... and then the activity should increase gradually over one to two weeks." This is certainly over-cautious if it means that a hockey player, for example, should not resume skating and practicing until the four-week period is over; a well-known star whose hernia we repaired in 1970 resumed skating (with our blessing) within a