Exercise after Plastic Surgery

Regular exercise is critical to maintaining patients' overall health. It is recommended that adults exercise for 30 minutes, five day per week. However, after patients undergo surgery, including plastic surgery, it is not a good idea to follow these guidelines. This is because any activity that raises the patient's blood pressure should be avoided after plastic surgery; an increase in blood pressure can result in more inflammation and swelling. In addition to increasing swelling, moderate to intense activity can cause the healing incisions to re-open, which can make post-operative scarring worse and make the patient more vulnerable to infection.

Exercise Timeline after Plastic Surgery

Atlanta area plastic surgeon Marcus Crawford advises patients to avoid strenuous activity, but also to engage in some light activity, for the first few weeks after surgery. Here, he provides a week-by-week exercise schedule to guide patients in making the right choices during the recovery process.  

• The first week: Start taking light, five-minute walks around the house to encourage blood flow as soon as you feel up to it. The majority of our Atlanta patients are able to get up and take these brief walks within two days of surgery. Start out with two or three walks throughout the day, and then work your way up to more.
• The second week: By the second week after surgery, many patients feel much better and want to return to their normal routines. However, it is important to continue to take it easy and allow your body time to recover. Do not return to your regular exercise schedule just yet. Instead, increase the amount of time per walk; you should be able to handle light, 10-minute walks throughout the day at this point.
• The third week: At week three, patients should continue to refrain from engaging in strenuous cardiovascular or weight training activities. The third week after surgery, patients can take two or three 15-minute walks; it is important to continue to take it slow and avoid activity that will leave you out of breath.
• The fourth week: Continue to take two or three, light, 15-minute walks each day during the fourth week after plastic surgery.
• The fifth week: The fifth week after surgery, patients may be able to start getting back into their regular workout routines. Talk to your plastic surgeon during one of your post-op appointments to find out if you can start a modified, easier version of your normal routine.
• The sixth week: At this time, you may be able to ramp up your workout routine a bit by increasing the degree of difficulty or adding reps.

After six full weeks of recovery, most patients are approved to return to their regular workout routines. The key is to slowly ease back into your exercise routine and allow your body adequate time to recover from plastic surgery. 

To schedule a consultation at the Marietta or Hiram offices of Dr. Marcus Crawford, contact us today. We will be happy to set up an appointment at your earliest convenience.