Are you highly fitness-conscious? If so, good news! – you can have an amazing body to go along with your new breast implants. However, be careful to not hit the gym too hard too soon. Know that cosmetic surgery is an invasive and traumatic surgery. Give your body the proper time to heal and recover. Moderate your exercise at first. This help make sure your body properly heals with a minimal risk for infection, stretch marks and scar tissue.
Also, the intensity and type of exercise can be limited by:
- placements of the implants
- size of the implants
Again, this is especially true immediately after surgery.
Implants can weigh close to a pound or more. When placed beneath the muscle, the muscle helps to support the additional weight. However, it takes a while for the surrounding supportive tissues to heal and adjust. Therefore, you’ll likely want to avoid these exercises:
- significant up and down movement (jumping, running)
- compression of the breasts (weight lifting, push ups, yoga)
- contact sports (basketball, soccer)
If the implant are placed in front of the muscle, take the necessary precautions against any harmful stretching. Excessive stretching of the skin can result in stretch marks. Extra weight can cause soreness in the surrounding muscles in the neck and back. Look for warning signs of discomfort and pain and make the necessary adjustments to your workout routine.
Related Article:
Do Breast Implants Feel Natural?
Functions within the Muscle and Shoulder Joint
- Based upon the type of exercises performed before the surgery and your fitness level, the implants may not interfere with your workout routine.
- Making the change from an A cup to a C cup may be a lot more difficult than going from a B cup to a C cup due to the changes in structure. The increased mass can cause difficulties in movement.
- Minimize engaging in any weight-bearing shoulder movements until the pain and inflammation subside.
- Avoid participating in any kettleball exercises requiring dynamic movements from the early stages.
Exercising to Aid in Recovery
- Moderate exercising can help to speed up the recovery process following surgery.
- Cycling or walking can help to reduce inflammation.
- Wear added support to help prevent any excessive movements in the breasts.
- Moving the joint slowly through the full range of motion will help to restore your flexibility and promote healing.
- Avoid any extreme stretching until such time as the swelling and pain have disappeared.
It is entirely normal to experience a significant amount of inflammation and pain after the breast enhancement surgery. But, you should experience a lessening of the pain over time. Exercising too aggressively or too soon following the surgery can slow down the recovery process. If inflammation and pain worsen, you will want to contact the surgeon right away. Scar tissue can form around the implant to the point where it will constrict the capsule and cause hardening and pressure. Implants can end up shifting from their intended location and provide you with a distorted and imbalanced appearance.
So if you were wondering “is it harder to exercise with breast implants?,” we hope this article helped. Always consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon like Dr. Greg Liebscher in Colorado Springs about the proper care of breast implants and daily activity restrictions.
Recently edited. Originally published September 2014.