Will Weight Lifting Affect Rhinoplasty Results?

Question

Will lifting weights a month after Rhinoplasty delay/stunt the development of the nose's definition and swelling reduction?Say if a nose will typically reduce in swelling in two months, would lifting weights stretch that to three or four months? Would you advise waiting perhaps two months after?

Philip S. Schoenfeld, MD, FACS · Answer

Your surgeon has probably given you fairly strict criteria to follow to best enable your nose to heal appropriately following your rhinoplasty surgery. You should be able to engage in more vigorous activity after a few weeks following your surgery. I always tell my patients that if they feel pressure or notice increased swelling, especially in the morning the day following their exercise, they should ease up on their activity until they are not experiencing any of these symptoms.  
As far as weight lifting is concerned, I do not see any problem with it after one month following rhinoplasty plastic surgery, but I would engage in exercises that you can do in an upright position so that you decrease the potential for prolonged nasal edema.

Anil R. Shah, MD · Answer

There are several concerns with early exercise after a rhinoplasty.  The first is that your blood pressure may become elevated, promoting swelling of the nose and increasing the chance of a nose bleed.  The other concern is that early activity may shift your nose and alter its intended healing course.  Weight lifting activities which are brought upon gradually over a period of 5 weeks will typically not influence the final shape of your nose and should not bring about extra swelling.  However, you should consult your surgeon regarding specific guidelines for your nose.  In addition, with any activity, including exercise, consider how this will impact the overall swelling in your nose.

Jamil Ahmad, MD · Answer

Recovery after rhinoplasty will vary based on the person, characteristics of the nasal tissues and what was done during surgery. The amount of downtime varies greatly as well. Typically, somewhere between 4-6 weeks, you can return to strenuous activities including intense exercise and weight lifting. At this point, it should not cause any damage to your nose and should not alter the degree of swelling or time for this to resolve.You should clarify with your surgeon what restrictions you have and when you can return to strenuous activities.

Jerome Edelstein, MD · Answer

I generally recommend to my patients that they refrain from exercising for 6 weeks after surgery. Exercising can contribute to swelling, which will slow down your rate of recovery.

Michael A. Persky, MD · Answer

Hi Mr. Atlas,
Weight lifting four weeks after rhinoplasty should not affect your healing.  Weight lift during the first week after surgery as one of my patients once did (clearly not following directions) will get you a severe nose bleed that will require packing.
Do follow your rhinoplasty surgeons advice.
Enjoy your new nose and your rest from the weights.
Dr. P

Will Weight Lifting Affect Rhinoplasty Results?

Answers (5)