When can you exercise after mammoplasty?

What not to do

Restrictions on playing sports after mammoplasty can be called conditional. In the first 6–8 weeks, not all existing physical activities are contraindicated, but only exercises that involve the muscles of the chest and upper shoulder girdle. This means that you can maintain physical fitness with the help of race walking, leg swings, etc., but push-ups, pull-ups and abdominal exercises, which indirectly involve the chest muscles, are strictly contraindicated. It is also necessary to exclude running and jumping, during which there is a vibration load on the mammary glands. This may cause implants to dislodge or damage to surgical sutures.

Sports after mammoplasty

Beautiful breasts are the dream of every woman and the object of amazement for men. Girls who have not been blessed by nature with a large bust are increasingly turning to the help of a plastic surgeon. Until recently, breast augmentation surgery was performed only by show business stars and simply very rich people. Now many ordinary women are already doing this. Among them there are many athletes or simple fans of training in the gym, so the issue of playing sports after mammoplasty is more relevant than ever. All forums dedicated to this topic are full of questions:

“Does your chest or back hurt when you run or swim?”

“When and what can you do? I love to do weight lifting, and I also run 3 times a week for 5-6 km. I wonder how long after surgery you can play sports?”

“Can I do yoga, Pilates and water aerobics?”

Answers to these questions can be found on many medical sites:

Limiting physical activity after surgery

As with any surgical procedure, breast augmentation surgery requires time for the body to recover. In about 3 months, the muscles return to normal, tissue swelling subsides, scars heal, and the breasts acquire the desired shape. It is important to follow all doctor's instructions and also avoid certain actions. Limited physical activity minimizes the likelihood of implant displacement, therefore, for a certain period it is prohibited:

• work around the house and drive a car (only after 3 weeks);
• lifting heavy objects (prohibited for 11 days after surgery);
• play sports (not allowed for the first 6-12 weeks);
• swimming (only after 5 weeks);
• fly on an airplane (10 days after surgery);
• have sex (4 weeks).

Sports activities

Breast enlargement can interfere with participation in some sports. This is due to the choice of a large endoprosthesis, which will cause inconvenience during swimming, playing tennis and others. Therefore, in this matter you should listen to the opinion of a specialist. When the doctor says that the implant is too large for your build, you need to choose a smaller size.

If the patient’s recovery is normal, then you can return to sports around 5-6 weeks after surgery. Initially, it is better to start with light loads, giving preference to running in the fresh air or in the gym, or exercises on an elliptical trainer. You can gradually return to sports, gradually increasing the intensity of your activities.

But on the following two questions, experts’ opinions were divided:

“Is it possible to pump up the pectoral muscles?”

“Do I need to wear special underwear when playing sports?”

Many experts believe that upper body work should be limited, avoiding movement of the chest muscles, and exercise should only be done while wearing a sports bra.

Others, on the contrary, believe that in order for the breasts to look more natural, they should be toned. To do this, you need to do exercises with dumbbells aimed at developing the pectoral muscles. But at the same time, the load on the pectoral muscles should be moderate and dosed. You can start with exercises such as dumbbell bench press and knee push-ups. And wearing special underwear is not necessary.

Which opinion is considered correct? The thing is that each case is unique. All restrictions after surgery depend on your well-being and the type of operation, and the healing period is individual for everyone. Therefore, it is your attending physician who decides when to return to the usual pace of sports activities, begin heavy training, and what kind of training they will be...

Remember, a couple of extra weeks of abstaining from strength training will not affect your body composition, but rushing in such a matter can lead to undesirable consequences.

But rest assured, mammoplasty will not prevent you from engaging in any sport - diving, alpine skiing, horse riding and others.

Interviews with girls who have already had mammoplasty and devote a lot of time to fitness.

Author: Maria E. (on the forum - maarfaa)
24691 February 02, 2021 Author: My Plastic Surgeon Rate this publication:

What can you do

An approximate “sports plan” after mammoplasty looks like this:

• Complete exclusion of any physical activity in the first 3-4 days.
• For 2–3 weeks after mammoplasty, you should limit yourself to walking.
• In the next 5-6 weeks, you can add exercises (not intense), which do not involve the muscles of the chest, shoulders and arms.
• When the 2–2.5 month period has passed successfully and recovery is going according to plan, you can gradually include exercises for the upper shoulder girdle - arm swings, bending, etc.
• You can start exercising in the gym no earlier than 3–3.5 months after surgery, and before that you should consult with your surgeon.

One week after surgery

Most often, after a week, some patients are allowed to gradually begin light cardio or low-impact exercises that target the lower body. You can allow yourself a short, slow “walk” on a treadmill or on an exercise bike, but “spinning” exercise bikes, which put stress on the upper body, should be strictly avoided for the period of complete recovery. It is also worth holding off on orbitrek simulators, weight lifting, and long runs, among others. In general, any upper body exercise should be avoided because after surgery the pectoral muscles need at least three weeks for the wounds to begin to heal. During exercise, your heart rate and blood pressure increase, which can cause bleeding in the chest area where the scars are located. Ultimately, everything may result in emergency surgery.

Graduality is important

But it is important to understand that “inclusion” in physical activity should be gradual. If you haven't exercised at all after surgery, this doesn't mean you can go to the gym once you reach the 3-month mark. The degree of physical activity should be increased consistently, regardless of when you started training. You need to start with simple exercises, even if six months have passed since mammoplasty. And only as the muscles become toned, gradually add exercises with dumbbells, expanders and other equipment.

Does the shape and size of the implant affect the choice of exercises?

Patients involved in athletics and running should avoid large implants. Large breasts will interfere with proper training and activities.

Round implants allow you to do push-ups from the wall after three weeks after mammoplasty.

This exercise allows you to take on more natural breast shapes. In this case, squeezing the palms in front of the chest with the elbows moving to the side is also indicated.

Teardrop implants require special care when accessing under the breast.

It is not recommended to suddenly raise your arms to avoid disrupting the scar healing process.

In this case, after 2-3 weeks it is necessary to perform triceps exercises.

Find out when sutures are removed after mammoplasty. Is it possible to visit a solarium after mammoplasty? Details here.

Should I give up sports?

Often the patient’s desire to restore the attractiveness of her breasts is so strong that, having received the long-awaited result, she is afraid to “spoil” it and refuses any physical activity. But such measures can be considered excessive precautions. If, at the end of the recovery period, the doctor does not consider such restrictions appropriate, then a gradual return to sports will only be beneficial. After all, the height of the mammary glands largely depends on the tone of the pectoral muscles. And the firmness of the breast depends on how high the skin tone is and its “supporting” effect. During physical activity, the muscles and blood circulation of the mammary gland tissue are stimulated, which allows you to slow down the age-related processes that are inevitable over time and preserve the results of the operation for as long as possible. But in any case, you should first consult your doctor. Knowing all the features of the operation, he will give recommendations on sports that are safe for you, permissible intensity of exercise, etc.

Prevention of complications

In the first seven days, it is not recommended to raise your arms above your shoulders, or make sudden movements with your body and arms. You cannot lift weights exceeding 2 kg.

To avoid complications after surgery, you should begin physical exercise and exercise no earlier than recommended by your doctor.

Classes are held for up to six weeks exclusively in compression garments. You can then continue exercising while wearing a sports bra.

In what cases may the deadlines for limiting physical activity change?

Each case is, in principle, special, and the plastic surgeon gives each patient individual recommendations. But in some situations, you should be prepared for the fact that the restrictive sports regime may be significantly longer or involve some nuances. For example, when breasts are enlarged to a significant size, difficulties may be observed with exercises that require active movement of the arms (swimming, rowing, etc.) And after repeated surgery (correction of the results of previous mammoplasty, replacement of endoprostheses, etc.), the duration of each stage of recovery the period may be extended by several days or weeks.

Optimal conditions during the rehabilitation period:

• Compression garments are worn for 6 weeks after the intervention.

• For another month it is worn only at night. During the day, wear a bra without wires.
• After three months, a bra with underwire is worn.
• For the first three weeks after surgery, you should not actively swing your arms, spread them to the sides, or drive a car.
• The first month you are allowed to sleep only on your back, then on your side.
• After 2 months you can lie on your stomach.
• Baths, saunas, and solariums are prohibited for three months after surgery.
• The beach is not visited for 6 months.
• Intimate relationships are prohibited for 4 weeks after surgery.