What You Need to Know About Exercise After Your San Diego Tummy Tuck

One of the biggest questions for many of our patients undergoing a San Diego tummy tuck, is whether they can exercise after surgery. Would they be able to resume exercise right away? What kind of activities should they avoid? Read below for more information on how to maintain your awesome figure following a tummy tuck through a regular dose of exercise.

Get Out of Bed Every Now and Then

One of the most common misconceptions following abdominoplasty is that there is no need to engage in exercise to maintain your new figure. However, the fact is that having an exercise routine following tummy tuck significantly aids healing during recovery, reduces the chance of blood clot formation, and tones abdominal muscles.

Although plenty of bed rest is recommended in the days immediately following surgery, it is recommended that patients get out of bed every few hours and perform light activities such as getting a glass of water or spending a few minutes outdoors. These light movements may be uncomfortable , but only in the first several days. You may be able to do non-strenuous exercise between 1 to 3 weeks following surgery.

Green Light On Your Sixth Week Following Surgery

Although a patient’s ability to recover varies from one individual to another, we often recommend going back to cardiovascular type of exercises on the sixth week following surgery. These exercises include speed walking, light jogging, and running on the elliptical trainer or treadmill. As for weight lifting, we recommend getting back into it gradually, doing less repetitions and lifting less weight that what you are used to on your sixth week. It is best to let your body dictate your pacing and frequency of exercise, and more importantly to wait for clearance from your plastic surgeon before engaging in strenuous physical activity.

Proceed with Caution

Exercise is beneficial following abdominoplasty but we recommend doing it with caution to prevent putting additional strain on your abdominal muscles. Narcotics, for one, should be avoided as narcotics could significantly numb the sensation of pain, making it difficult for you to figure out whether you’re exercising too much or not.

Your San Diego Tummy Tuck

For more information about San Diego abdominoplasty, click here to request a consultation with Dr. Chacon at Divino Plastic Surgery today or call us at 858-633-7546. We look forward to hearing from you soon!