subject: Exercise after Breast Augmentation Surgery [print this page] Breast augmentation surgery, also known as augmentation mammoplasty, is a cosmetic surgical procedure performed to increase or alter your breast size or shape by using breast implants. Breast augmentation will enhance your appearance and bolster your self-confidence, but it will not achieve perfection, which is an unrealistic expectation.
Breast augmentation is performed for a variety of reasons including:
To enhance the body contours of a woman with smaller breasts
To balance asymmetry in breast size
To reconstruct breasts following surgery for breast cancer
Your Surgeon will Advise You
After your breast augmentation surgery you are likely to feel sore and tired for a few days, but you should be up and around in twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Your discomfort will be controlled by pain medication prescribed by your surgeon.
Following your breast augmentation procedure your surgeon will advise you when and how to resume your exercise regime based on your own personal procedure experience and body as recovery times will vary from woman to woman. Typically the average time needed before exercising can be resumed is from four to six weeks.
Be sure to follow your surgeon's advice about returning to normal exercise or workouts and wear a good support bra to minimize pulling on the incisions. There are also compression garments that can be worn that will help to support and shape your breasts.
General Rules to Follow for Exercising after Breast Augmentation Surgery
You should avoid heavy lifting or straining for a minimum of two weeks following your breast augmentation procedure. Normal activities may be resumed at any time if they cause no pain or discomfort. Walking within a few days of your surgery is allowed but do not participate in aerobic exercise for at least three weeks. Aerobic exercise will increase your blood pressure, which could cause bleeding and cause harm to your surgical result.
Once you are advised to resume your regular exercise program start slowly and allow your body to tell you what it can tolerate. It is important not to rush the healing process. One important rule to follow is not to sweat until the incisions are healed and sealed. Your body needs time to rest and heal naturally to ensure you get the best result from your procedure.
