Exercise and fitness can be a vital part of a plastic surgery patient’s regime. The patients at The Plastic Surgery Center are focused on quality of life. In fact, that is the primary reason people choose to do many cosmetic and/or reconstructive plastic surgery procedures. One of the most common inquiries, therefore, has to do with exercise and sports, in particular resuming exercise following surgical procedures. That’s because patients want to return to their regular activities, and maintain the general benefits of health and fitness.

Patient Heather had wanted a tummy tuck for a while. “When I was pregnant with my fourth child I had polyhydramnios (too much fluid in my stomach). This left my stomach stretched out with sagging skin and a lot of stretch marks,” says Heather. So, after the birth of her fifth child, the 34-year-old mother of five from Lacey Township, New Jersey, fulfilled her wish. She went for the procedure at The Plastic Surgery Center in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, when her son was five months old. Heather, an active exerciser with a full time job, was relatively quickly back to her fitness activity.

It is impossible to determine one set answer for the amount of time a patient should allow before returning to exercise or sports after surgery. That’s why Heather worked closely in consultation with New Jersey plastic surgeon, Dr. Matthew Kaufman, himself an active athlete and accomplished distance runner.

Heather, who started a walking routine 6 weeks after surgery says, “When Dr. Kaufman said I could resume cardio, I walked, jogged and used the elliptical machine. I did not go back to strength training and abdominal work until I was about 8 to 9 weeks post operative. When I did Pilates, yoga and abdominal work I did a modified work-out due to the stretching sensation in my core. I was afraid to overdo it.”

According to Dr. Kaufman, "The amount of exercise ‘downtime’ that will be required after cosmetic surgery depends, to a great extent, on the nature of the procedure being performed and, to a lesser extent, on the baseline condition of the patient. For patients like Heather who have a
good fitness level going into a tummy tuck procedure, we usually recommend they forego any vigorous exercise for a period of roughly 4 weeks. Those ambitious patients using a tummy tuck as a platform to initiate a renewed interest in exercise may be counseled with more caution, and may need to wait 6 weeks from their surgery.”

“During the healing period we instruct patients on which fitness activities may be acceptable, and which to avoid, so that they may resume a healthy activity level while minimizing the chance of a complication," says Dr. Kaufman. “It can be a shorter timeframe for something as simple as light walking, and longer for sports with potential contact (soccer, basketball), which can require up to a six-month wait. Much depends on the particular procedure, and also on one’s individual post-operative healing,” concludes Dr. Kaufman.

However, what is also important is a patient’s health and fitness profile before undergoing any surgical procedures. That’s why it is important to consider getting into good shape pre-surgery as well. Cardiovascular fitness and weight or resistance training, complemented by flexibility and balance exercises, strengthens the heart and body, and also aids in post-surgical recovery. It also makes it easier to return to post-surgical conditioning if a person has a fitness base.

Exercise is positive during post-recovery. Even light walking encourages blood flow and helps prevent the blood from clotting. In addition to good overall health, exercise can maintain or enhance certain procedures, such as liposuction, tummy tuck and removal of loose skin after significant weight loss (such as following bariatric surgery).

Keep in mind these guidelines:

To get in-shape/fit prior to surgery, allow at least 4 to 6 weeks.
As with any exercise routine, follow the “10% rule.” That is the limit of how much you should increase your exercise each week.
If you are fit going in, you lose fitness in the four-plus week recovery time following surgery, so allow time to build back up.
In takes on average 4 to 6 months after surgery to resume an active exercise regimen.
Too much or too strenuous exercise can be dangerous, and can compromise the results of your surgery.
Do not exercise too intensely too soon—which raises your heart rate and potentially your blood pressure. This can cause excessive swelling and impair healing.

Post-surgical pain medication is a potentially dangerous mix with exercise and should never be combined. Says Dr. Kaufman, “First, if patients are still requiring strong pain medication then it means they are not healed enough to exercise. Pain medication alters mental alertness and balance, which can lead to exercise related injuries."
In general, lifting (anything more than 10 pounds), bending, and anything performed with your head below your heart (e.g. some yoga poses), can cause bleeding, bruising and post-surgical wounds to open.

Exercise and sports teach us to “listen to our body.” This is even more the case in the post-surgical period. Be conservative with your exercise. If in doubt, err on the side of doing less. Learn to gauge your own personal recovery.

That’s what Heather did, conferring with Dr. Kaufman along the way. “I tried light cardio three weeks after my procedure, but my body told me it was too soon.”

Your doctor can best assess your personal timeline for returning to physical activity based on what surgical procedure you’ve undergone, the rate of your healing, and factors such as age/general health, which affect recovery time. Finally, as a general rule, anyone over 30 beginning an exercise program is advised to first check with their primary care physician.