Posted November 21, 2017 in Breast Augmentation

It can be daunting to take time off of your workout routine to recover from any surgery if you are used to an active lifestyle. However, you will find that resting long enough to let your body heal will make the recovery process more pleasant and thorough. The amount of time you will need to limit your activity after breast augmentation surgery will vary depending on what techniques were used and how the implant was placed.

Recovery Timeline

Dr. Richard Lee will give you detailed post-op instructions tailored to your needs during your consultation appointment. You may want to use the following as a guideline:

First Week

• You should walk as soon as you are able to because that will promote blood circulation and prevent blood clots.
• Walk for a few minutes every few hours, but be sure not to overexert yourself.
• You can shower the next day after surgery.
• Continue walking, but do not elevate your heart rate too much.
• Do not lift, pull, or push anything that strains your body or causes pain.

Second to Fourth Week

• The second week is when you can start slowly reintroducing activities to your routine that elevate your heart rate.
• Moderate activity, like some yoga and light elliptical or spin bike usage, may be allowed during this time.
• If Dr. Lee clears it, you can perform more strenuous exercises by the third week.
• Depending on how your recovery has gone up to this point, you may be free to return to most lower-body activity by the fourth week of recovery.

Sixth Week

• Usually, patients can resume all of their usual exercises by this time.
• It is between the sixth and eighth week of recovery that patients can return to full body activity, including upper body workouts.

Why It’s Important to Rest

It is vital to the healing process not to do too much physical activity against Dr. Lee’s instructions. “No pain, no gain” is not the mantra to follow when it comes to your post-surgery activity. It is essential to listen to your body and not to push your physical limits too far, or you may experience complications such as:

• Swelling: Overexerting yourself causes your blood pressure to rise, which exacerbates and prolongs swelling. You will need to spend more time recovering, and the extra swelling can be quite uncomfortable.
• Hematoma: Exercising before you have healed enough can cause a tear in your breast tissues, which may lead to a pocket of blood called a hematoma. A hematoma will need to be removed, further prolonging your recovery.
• Capsular Contracture: Heavy activity before you have healed enough from breast augmentation can cause capsular contracture, an uncomfortable condition that can only be corrected with surgery.