When Can I Exercise after Breast Implants ?

by Nurse Shannon
exercise-after-breast-implants

Exercise and Breast Implants

Exercise and movement are medicine, for both our physical and mental health. One of the important parts of my role as a Nurse practitioner on the Breast team is guiding patients through the different stages of the recovery process. For a lot of patients knowing that you will have to modify your lifestyle temporarily can be anxiety-provoking. My goal is to always provide as much insight to patients throughout this time and make it as seamless for them as possible. Exercise and activity restrictions are important to abide by. They are recommended for your safety, to let your body heal and to ensure you have the best aesthetic outcome possible. Because I love working out so much and going to workout classes, I really enjoy the opportunity to provide guidance to patients about exercise after surgery!

We get it! We are just like you. Exercise is important to us too! We want to help you get back to your exercise routine as quickly and as safely as possible.

Top 3 Exercises NPS Patients Do

  1. Tracy Anderson Workout Classes
  2. Pilates (Both reformer and mat Pilates)
  3. Personal training

If you are super into tennis or rock climbing or anything specific, please reach out so we can customize your plan to fit your favorite sport.

A common myth after having breast augmentation is that you cannot move your arms over your head for weeks after. In fact, we recommend doing overhead arm movements as soon as you are awake in recovery! We describe these arm exercises as doing a “jumping jack without the jump”. This is done by raising the arms over head in a slow, controlled manner. It is recommended to do 10 reps at a time, as tolerated.   The benefit of starting these exercises right after surgery is that they help relieve pressure and tightness, a common symptom experienced after breast augmentation.

Each Type of Breast Operation Has Different Guidelines for Exercise!

Breast Augmentation

We recommend taking 1 week off from exercise, intense cardio and weighted chest exercises. We ask that you avoid lifting more than 10 lbs for 1 week.  Walking is encouraged, wether you prefer to walk outside or on a treadmill.

At the 1-week mark, you can resume intense cardio and all exercises as tolerated. We recommend easing back into exercise by starting with a stationary bike ride!

If your implants are placed under the muscle, when you start to return chest exercises, there are some differences in terms of feeling compared to over-the-muscle placement. With under-the-muscle placement, when you flex or engage your chest muscles, you will feel the muscle contract over the implant. This a normal occurrence that will feel different at first, but you will get used to it over time. It is important to know that when you experience that sensation, no damage will occur to the implant.

Breast Lift, Breast Augmentation with a Breast Lift, or Galaflex (The internal bra)

No intense cardio, bouncing, or weighted chest exercises for 6 weeks. We ask that you refrain from lifting small children for 1 week. Six weeks off from exercise feels like a long time and can seem daunting to someone who is very active. However, walking is encouraged. You can go for long walks or walk on the treadmill on an incline as long as you are not bouncing. Another tip to feel active is to wear 1-2 lb ankle weights on your walk.

 

I really hope this information helps you on your breast augmentation journey. If you have any questions please email me at shannon@neinsteinplasticsurgery.com.