One of the most exciting parts of breast augmentation is your newfound confidence after your procedure. It’s easy to feel impatient about showing off your results. But before you jump straight back into your workout routine, you need to ease back into your regime. By following your surgeon’s post-operative instructions, you can find out when it’s safe to exercise after breast augmentation.
What to Expect After Breast Implant Surgery?
Breast implant surgery is an outpatient procedure whereby you go home the same day. The surgery takes about an hour to two, after which you will spend some time in the recovery room before going home. It is important that you have someone to drive you home after your procedure.
After breast implant surgery, the surgeon will cover the area with a small amount of gauze, and you’ll wear a post-operative bra. The surgeon will provide instructions on how to care for the incisions when you get home and in the coming weeks. You will also get some pain medications to help with the pain. When you get home, your priority should be to rest. You will have come out of anaesthesia, and your body will have kicked in the healing process so, you will feel fatigued.
By the time you are going in for surgery, you should have made plans on who can take care of things like work and your family. During the first week, rest and make sure that you eat well to help with recovery.
During breast surgery, the surgeon makes incisions in the skin, as well as muscle. This incision is bound to cause you discomfort, especially in the first week after the procedure. During that time, you may find that some movements like pulling and pushing with the arms makes the pain worse. It’s important that you avoid lifting anything heavy during the first week.
In addition, your breasts will also feel tight and look swollen, especially in the first 2 to 3 days.
The swelling should begin to go down after 1 to 2 weeks and be fully gone after 2 months. You will also likely have drains coming out of the surgical site. Your surgeon will tell you when it’s okay to remove them during your post-operative appointments. Following everything your doctor says will aid healing.
When Can You Exercise After Breast Augmentation?
After breast augmentation, it’s no secret that you need to spend some time recovering before you delve back into your normal routine. In general, most patients can resume full activities in 6 weeks but, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t move at all for those few weeks. You must start moving your body slowly but take the time to recover fully before performing intense exercise.
Breast implants shouldn’t stop you from leading a healthy and active lifestyle. One of the most important parts of recovery is returning to your fitness routine safely. Exercise should never negatively impact your breast implant results.
What to Expect Breast Augmentation Surgery?
In the first 48 hours following your surgery, you need to take it easy. You want your body to rest and heal, but you don’t want to be confined to your bed. You can move gently around the house to take care of your needs. In the first 5 days, you can slowly move around to maintain good circulation. Here’s when you can expect to exercise after breast augmentation.
1-2 Weeks
At this stage, you can start introducing very light cardio into your routine. Think about adding more walking into your daily routine. Avoid raising your heart rate and body temperature too much, so still, continue to take it easy. This is a good time to warm up your muscles and start preparing them for more intense workouts.
2-4 Weeks
As the weeks continue, you should start to feel a bit more like your normal self. You can continue to build your endurance and increase your strength by introducing longer walks or adding a stationary bike. Choose low impact aerobic activity and don’t go over 50% of your normal pace. You still want to take it easy at this point. Avoid squats or any upper body exercises.
4-6 Weeks
During this timeframe, you will have a checkup with your surgeon, who will check on your progress. At this point, your doctor will tell you whether you can add weight training to your exercise after breast augmentation. Continue to avoid exercises using your pectoral muscles. Instead, focus on lower body workouts and core strengthening training. Continue to avoid jumping, running, and bouncing movements.
After 6 weeks
With your surgeon’s approval, you can return to full activities like running after 6 weeks. You should always listen to your body and ease into chest and ab exercises. Always listen to your doctor so that you can return to your previous fitness levels in the safest way possible.
What Are the Dangers of Exercising Too Early After Breast Surgery?
There’s a reason why you shouldn’t exercise after breast augmentation too soon. It can impact your results and may even cause long-term issues. The main problem comes from using your pectoral muscles before your body heals. Going back to your workout routine too early may compromise your breast surgery recovery. It may also increase your risk of developing complications. Your doctor will give you post-operation instructions on physical activity and movement restriction.
When you undergo breast augmentation, the surgeon divides a portion of your pectoral muscles to insert the implant. This affects how the muscle contracts as you heal, which can cause the implant to push down and out, affecting the results. Because of this, you must avoid exerting the muscle until a capsule has formed around the implant to keep it in place. Typically, this should take about 4 to 6 weeks. If you exercise too soon after breast augmentation, you risk causing a fluid build-up and bleeding.
Recovery after breast implant surgery varies from one person to another. One of the most important aspects to consider when recovering from breast surgery is knowing when you can exercise after breast augmentation. Your doctor should guide you on when to resume your workout routine, depending on how well you are healing. If you want to learn more about breast implant surgery, book an appointment today with a qualified Harley Street breast surgeon.
