After Breast Augmentation:
When Can I Resume Activities and Exercise?

Fairfield County : Norwalk and Surrounding Areas

If you have decided to have breast augmentation, you know that during the procedure your breasts will be enlarged, using either surgical implants or your own tissues that are repositioned to enlarge the breasts. As in all surgeries, after breast augmentation there will be a recovery period during which you should rest and limit activities. This allows your body to heal from the surgery, and lets your new breast tissues settle into place.

After Surgery

In the first few days after surgery, you should rest. You may feel some discomfort, for which your doctor can prescribe medication. Even if you feel well enough to exercise, you should limit your activities to gentle ones. A modest amount of gentle exercise will help you heal. But during this early period, you should limit arm movements and any kind of bouncing, which will cause too much movement in your breasts.

Short walks are a good place to start. Walks will help you regain energy and promote circulation. But don’t do any power-walking, and avoid swinging your arms vigorously.

As You Recover: Start with Light Activities

As you feel more energetic, easy stretching and leg exercises are appropriate, along with longer walks and easy, low-impact exercise on a stationary bike or elliptical machine. Don’t do any activity that requires you to use your arms, as this will cause too much movement in the breasts. And don’t do any aerobic exercise--keep your heart rate low. For the first month, you should not swim.

After about three weeks, you can add exercises that require movement in your torso (waist and upper back) and in your arms. But you should still avoid exercising your chest muscles (pectorals), especially if your surgery involved implants placed beneath your chest muscles.

By about four weeks, you will be allowed to resume exercises that use the pectoral muscles, and to increase your exercise intensity. Now you may swim and do aerobic activities as you feel able. As your energy level increases, you may work back up to your normal exercise routine.

After Breast Augmentation

Women who exercise for health and fitness will probably not notice much difference in their experience after breast augmentation. You may find that you need a more supportive bra when exercising, but otherwise you will probably not find your routine affected.

Women who are serious runners may notice a difference in the balance of their upper bodies and in their body weight. But overall speed and stamina should not be affected.

Serious swimmers may notice a difference in buoyancy, and in resistance. However, in time they should get used to these changes. Competitive tennis players sometimes notice a change in their backhand.

More Questions

If you are considering breast augmentation, have questions about breast augmentation, or would like to know more about exercise after surgery or effects on your exercise routine, please call our offices. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff will be happy to answer your questions and to help you explore your options in breast augmentation.

Please contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation at the plastic surgery practice of Dr. Rick Rosen, M.D., F.A.C.S..