Blog: Mammoplasty - sports after surgery

In the postoperative and rehabilitation periods, physical activity and sports are limited. Women who were actively involved in sports before surgery are concerned about the question: when to resume training and what are the risks of sports activities during rehabilitation? What restrictions exist after breast surgery?

When can you start playing sports after mammoplasty?

The gym is visited no earlier than 2 months after the intervention. Classes begin with light physical activity. Limit training to the upper shoulder girdle. Lifting barbells and dumbbells weighing more than 2 kg is prohibited. The main load is placed on the legs - squats, lunges, abs. Then they do athletics, lifting dumbbells from a lying position.

They return to full-fledged sports activities no earlier than 6 months after the operation.

The Butko Plastic clinic has been successfully performing mammoplasty operations for many years. The intervention is carried out by a reputable surgeon Igor Aleksandrovich Butko, a doctor with twenty years of experience. The doctor explains in detail what can be done in the postoperative period, what exercises are allowed, and talks about the consequences of non-compliance with the regime. Accurate implementation of all recommendations guarantees an excellent result of the intervention.

Stages of return to classes:

The first 3-4 days - rest and bed rest.
In the first two weeks - walking at a leisurely pace.
Up to two months of light physical exercise for the body, with the exception of the shoulder girdle and chest.
After 2 months of rehabilitation - light physical activity in the gym. Over time, running and athletics exercises are allowed, but only after medical consultation.

What exercises can you do after surgery?

For the first 2–3 weeks, only walking is allowed. It is prohibited to lift any weights.
At 4–6 weeks, a woman can slowly raise her arms up. The shoulder girdle is being developed.
After 2–2.5 months, lifting dumbbells weighing up to 2 kg is allowed.
2.5 months after the operation, short distance swimming is allowed.
After 3 months, you can pump up your abs, do stretching, and raise your arms above your shoulders.
After 6 months, push-ups and stretching of the chest muscles are performed. Only after medical consultation.
Tennis, kickboxing or mountaineering are allowed to be practiced one year after the intervention.

Is it possible to play sports and pump up breasts after mammoplasty?

After installation of implants, a woman receives an additional incentive to continue to work on herself, improving her own body. But mammoplasty involves a serious surgical intervention, which imposes certain restrictions on physical activity after surgery.

It is important to introduce physical activity and sports after breast augmentation gradually to avoid serious complications. The ban is due to the high risk of tissue trauma, as well as the likelihood that the implant may dislodge.

How long do you need to follow a light regime, when is it allowed to return to serious sports and is it possible to engage in bodybuilding after mammoplasty - plastic surgeon Ilya Vyacheslavovich Sergeev tells especially for TecRussia.ru:

↑ Why restrictions are needed

The operation to install implants is accompanied by trauma to the deep muscle layer. During the recovery period, it is important to ensure high-quality healing in order to achieve the desired result and prevent the development of complications. Mandatory recommendations include strictly dosed physical activity. If you return to sports and household activities too early, problems may occur:

Implant displacement. Until the endoprosthesis takes its final place in the “pocket” and is surrounded by a capsule of connective tissue, there is a high probability of a change in its location and subsequent asymmetry. Active training, heavy lifting, and bending increase the risk.
Internal bleeding. In the first days, when the tissues have not yet grown together well, sudden movements easily lead to damage to blood vessels - this is fraught with the accumulation of blood in the intercellular space, the formation of hematomas. As a result, healing is delayed, and there is a high probability of developing an inflammatory or purulent process. In particularly difficult cases, hematomas have to be opened to release the contents.
Seams coming apart. After the operation, the surgeon reliably fixes the edges of the wound, but they do not completely grow together immediately. Excessive mobility complicates this process, and after dehiscence, the incision often closes unevenly, resulting in a rough and unsightly scar.
Capsular contracture. Excessive load contributes to the development of an aseptic inflammatory reaction in the area where the implant is placed, which causes excessive growth of fibrous tissue around it. The resulting capsule compresses the endoprosthesis, promoting its displacement and/or deformation.

In addition, intense physical activity leads to increased pain and irritation of the injured area, which also slows down the recovery process.

↑ When can activity be restored?

The most stringent restrictions apply for the first two weeks after mammoplasty. They are then gradually removed, and the final timing depends on the woman’s condition and factors such as:

The shape and size of the implant - the larger it is, the slower the regeneration occurs. If the glands increase by several sizes at once, the return to sports activities will be slightly delayed.
Method of installation of the endoprosthesis - if it is placed under the pectoral muscle, recovery time increases.
Density of the gland - if there is a shortage of natural tissue, it will take more time to secure the implant, therefore it will be possible to start training later.
Age of the woman – recovery occurs faster in younger patients, which means they can return to exercise earlier.

Restrictions on vigorous exercise after breast augmentation surgery do not mean that you should strive to remain completely at rest. The exception is the first 2-3 days, and in the future, inactivity only worsens tissue regeneration. But it is important to introduce the load gradually, listen to your body and immediately respond to any discomfort or soreness.

This is Natalya Kuznetsova, a bodybuilder and holder of world records in strength disciplines, including the bench press. Natalya has breast implants, which does not prevent her from continuing to engage in professional sports

The exact timing is individual for each patient, but on average you can focus on the following:

After 10-12 days, walking at an average pace and light exercises on the lower body are allowed. You need to be much more careful with the upper one: swinging your arms, working with dumbbells, bending forward and to the sides is prohibited.
A month later, more active sports are gradually introduced - swimming, running, fitness, but without excessive stress on the pectoralis major muscle. Active strength training, push-ups, and pull-ups are still prohibited.
After 6 months, your doctor will usually allow you to return to more serious weight training and contact sports.

↑ Is it possible to pump up breasts after mammoplasty?

The ban on bodybuilding and strength training lasts the longest. Patients are concerned about whether such training will affect the appearance of the renewed breast in the future. Unfortunately, they will be reflected: heavy loads on the pectoral muscles sometimes lead to deformation of the implant and damage to the capsule with the subsequent development of contracture. Therefore, your desire to actively “swing” should be discussed with the surgeon at a preliminary consultation.

Sergeev Ilya Vyacheslavovich Plastic surgeon, Candidate of Medical Sciences, leading specialist in breast plastic surgery at the DoctorPlastic clinic

For women who are professional bodybuilders or powerlifters, the implant is usually installed not under the pectoralis major muscle, but above it. Similar indications apply to those with the so-called “shoemaker’s chest,” when the chest looks slightly depressed. In this case, you can start strength training earlier - 3-4 months after mammoplasty.

The main thing to remember is that you need to get involved in activity gradually, carefully monitoring your health. If during exercise you feel pain, discomfort, or notice a change in the shape of your breasts, stop exercising and consult your doctor.

Optimal conditions during the rehabilitation period:

Compression garments are worn for 6 weeks after the intervention.

For another month it is worn only at night. During the day, wear a bra without wires.
After three months, a bra with underwire is worn.
For the first three weeks after surgery, you should not actively swing your arms, spread them to the sides, or drive a car.
The first month you are allowed to sleep only on your back, then on your side.
After 2 months you can lie on your stomach.
Baths, saunas, and solariums are prohibited for three months after surgery.
The beach is not visited for 6 months.
Intimate relationships are prohibited for 4 weeks after surgery.

Regular examinations

The first diagnostic examination is carried out one year after the operation. It allows not only to assess the condition of the implants, but also to identify whether there are neoplasms or other pathological processes. It is important to promptly seek professional medical help if the following symptoms occur:

implant deformation;
swelling of the mammary gland;
lump in the chest;
hyperemia (redness of the skin);
pain symptoms.

FAQ

What to do with training if pain occurs?

You can continue to exercise, but exercises that cause pain should be avoided for a while.

If sharp painful sensations or significant discomfort appear, you need to stop all training and see a doctor.

Chest discomfort during exercise, what is the reason?

During the first 2-3 weeks, discomfort is acceptable. It is especially pronounced if a larger implant is inserted. The surgeon inserts it under the large chest muscle, where there is not enough room. The implant puts pressure on the surrounding tissue, stretching it. Over time, adaptation occurs.

To get the breasts of your dreams, work with reputable plastic surgeons. Butko Plastic will conduct an examination and the doctor will select implants. We use safe anesthesia and modern equipment. We use only proven developments. Call and make an appointment with Igor Butko now. Take the first step towards the breasts of your dreams.

What should you not do the first time after breast augmentation surgery?

The first two weeks are the first recovery period, which is the most difficult. During it, even everyday stress that has nothing to do with sports can negatively affect recovery and the position of the implants. You need to carefully monitor the load on the pectoral muscles - do not lift anything heavy, do not get out of bed leaning on your hands, do not open heavy doors, and do not even pull clothes out of the washing machine. All these seemingly simple things can have undesirable consequences, such as displacement of the implant or bleeding from the wound.

It is important to follow all the instructions of your surgeon, and try not to overexert your body for the sake of a better result.

You can learn more about this operation from the “Breast Augmentation” section.

Psychological aspects

Recommendations for patients on how to get in shape after breast augmentation

When talking about life after mammoplasty, one cannot fail to mention the psychological consequences. Most often, having seen the first results that suit her, a woman experiences a serious emotional upsurge, after which she can fall into one of two extremes. One of them is the “goddess complex”, absolutely confident in its irresistibility. It can manifest itself in excessive sensitivity to any influence on the “new” breast and a prohibition on touching it even by a loved one or spouse. Another manifestation is the performance of actions that allow you to focus attention on the chest.

In this case, the style of clothing changes completely, dresses and blouses become tight and very open. The second extreme is that a woman, on the contrary, becomes very shy and withdraws into herself. This often happens if the environment has a negative attitude towards plastic surgery to enlarge the bust, but it also happens that a woman or girl is shy by nature. In order to minimize the risk of such psychological problems, an experienced plastic surgeon will refer a patient predisposed to such manifestations to a consultation with a psychologist.