The Exercise Timeline after Plastic Surgery By Stephen Hardy M.D. on February 18, 2017

When Dr. Stephen P. Hardy meets with patients to discuss body contouring, breast augmentation, facelift, and other plastic surgery options, one of the questions he is most commonly asked is “When can I start exercising again after surgery?” This is hardly surprising since most patients who undergo plastic surgery are committed to looking and feeling their very best, and their exercise routines are essential to their well-being.

In discussing a patient’s exercise timeline after plastic surgery during consultations at his Missoula, MT practice, Dr. Hardy takes into account the procedure or procedures that he or she is undergoing, his or her medical history, and many other factors. He then advises them openly and honestly of what to expect after surgery, emphasizing that nothing is more important than their health and safety. Returning to full exercise routines too quickly after surgery can jeopardize not only a patient’s results, but also his or her ability to heal properly from surgery.

There is truly no way that Dr. Hardy or any other plastic surgeon can tell you when you can start exercising after plastic surgery without meeting with you and examining you. Even after your procedure, you will have to be cleared by Dr. Hardy before you resume exercising by demonstrating that you are healing properly through a series of follow-up appointments. Fortunately, most patients who follow Dr. Hardy’s post-surgical instructions to the letter are able to return to normal activity fairly quickly.

To find out what your exercise timeline after plastic surgery will be like, please schedule your initial consultation with Dr. Stephen P. Hardy at Northwest Plastic Surgery Associates, PLLC today.

Post-surgical Exercise Timeline

Regardless of the procedure you undergo and how minimally invasive it is, plastic surgery is surgery. Any surgical procedure is going to require a recovery period during which the wounds from surgery must heal. Especially during the first week or so after any plastic surgery procedure, it is important to keep incision areas clean and dry, and not to put undue pressure on the sutures keeping the incisions closed. Strenuous exercise produces sweat and strain on the body, both of which can contribute to complications in the early stages of healing.

During this time, it is highly unlikely you will feel like exercising - or doing much of anything - anyway. You may not even feel up to doing the light walking that you will be encouraged to do daily immediately after your surgery. However, as your energy levels increase and your swelling and discomfort begin to subside, you may feel the urge to push yourself a little harder. While understandable, this urge must be suppressed until Dr. Hardy explicitly states that you can expand your exercise regimen.

Most patients are allowed to engage in some light aerobic exercise after two weeks. At three to four weeks, jogging may be permitted. Depending on the surgery you undergo, you may be allowed to resume your full exercise routine within four to six weeks of your surgery.