When considering any type of surgery, one of the first questions will naturally be, how long will it be before I am fully recovered and feel normal again?
For many people, feeling normal involves the opportunity to exercise, and for people who are considering undergoing breast implant surgery, one of the big questions will be when it is safe and practical to begin exercising again.
Professional opinion on this matter varies, some suggest that abstaining from exercise for around four weeks is ideal, others suggest that low impact exercise after the first couple of weeks, such as gentle exercise on a static bike, will not cause you any harm. Walking is also a good all-rounder, it is low impact yet will keep you healthy, so there is no need to ease off gentle walking, although it is best to avoid strenuous hill or mountain walking.
Advice tends to suggest that high impact activities such as running, aerobics, football and such like, should be avoided for around two months after the operation.
What could go wrong if I exercise too soon?
The biggest risks for women following breast implant surgery are that they will pick up an infection or that there will be bleeding from the site of the incisions. Your surgeon will give an aftercare plan that will help guide the best ways of healing effectively, and one of these is to avoid exercise that causes your heart rate to increase, as this can increase your risk of developing an infection where the incisions have been made.
Take your time to heal fully
The important thing is not to rush things. Your body will take time to heal, and the healing process does differ from person to person. As a good rule of thumb, allowing one month before resuming gentle, low impact exercise and allow around double that time for the more strenuous activities. Although if you suspect that your body needs longer than that, read the signs and trust your own judgement.
For many women, those who express the most positive feeling regarding their new shape are those who gave their body sufficient time to heal and did not rush back into exercising until their body really felt ready to accommodate it. The other thing to remember is that when you have undergone surgery of any kind, your body’s metabolic rate actually increases in the short term during the healing process, so this in itself burns more calories.
Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions
When undergoing your consultation progress with surgeons such as Mr Park, make sure you share your exercise regime and ask as many questions as you need with regards to the recovery progress. Your surgeon is your personal expert, and will be able to help guide you based on your own individual circumstances.