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Strengthen Abdominal Muscles Before Tummy Tuck?

Is it better to strengthen your stomach muscles prior to having a tummy tuck, or should you wait until after the surgery?

Asked 28 months ago by Jillaustin in Austin, TX

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Strengthening abdominal muscles before tummy tuck

It will not make a significant difference in your result if you strengthen your abdominal muscles before having a tummy tuck procedure. The space between the muscles (diastasis) is what really needs to be addressed during the surgery. The muscles themselves do not have much impact on the fianl contour. Of course, the stronger your muscles, the stronger your abdominal wall will be and if you can get your percent body fat low enough, you'll have a better chance at having a six pack. Best... more

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William Bruno, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Strengthening abdominal muscles before Tummy Tuck does not make any difference

Dear Jill, Although most people who love to exercise would like to hear a "Yes" - it really does NOT make any difference. The reason for the dreaded "pooch" is not so much that the tummy muscles are "weak" but that they have been s t r e t c h e d from one another and allow a greater expansion of the tummy contents. Since no manner of exercises can correct the actual fault line "DIASTASIS" between the muscles to say nothing about probable stretching... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD

Memphis Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Abdominal exercises of no value before tummy tuck.

Hi! 1) Most women who need a tummy tuck have a separation (diastasis) between their rectus muscles. This separation needs to be surgically repaired to get a flat stomach. 2) Abdominal exercises will not help this separation (there is no muscle there), and they could even make the separation wider.

George J. Beraka, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Pre-operative muscle conditioning

Optimal muscle tone is a pre-requisite for optiimal body-contoruing results. Ths goes along with a patient being in a healthy, stable lifestyle prior to abdominoplasty. This includes good diet and a reasonable exercise routine. This would involve abdominal exercises for anyone contemplating a tummy tuck. If the patient is not doing exercises already, I usualy have them do 30 half situps or the equivalent, twice a day for three weeks before surgery.

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Strengthen your abdominal muscles before tummy tuck

Hi Jill, Tummy tuck results can be spectacular in patients who have really worked on strengthening their abdominal wall muscles prior to surgery. Although ab exercises won't fix the diastasis (separation) often times present in women after pregnancy, they certainly add bulk and substance the abdominal wall muscles. When the muscle plication (tightening) is performed during tummy tuck, the results tend to be quite durable and long lasting. Hope this helps. Best of luck.

Sam Jejurikar, MD

Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Exercise beforeTummy Tuck Surgery?

Thank you for the question. Exercise certainly cannot hurt prior to your tummy tuck surgery. On the contrary, exercise will help you reach your goal weight and be in the best condition possible (physically and emotionally) prior to undergoing a major operation. You will be able to benefit from these physical and emotional “reserves after your operation. Best wishes as you reach your goals.

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Tom J. Pousti, MD

San Diego Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Muscle Tightening prior to surgery

A tummy tuck operation consists of removing extra skin, tightening of the rectus "sheath" and placement of a new belly button. The rectus sheath is the firm tissue (fascia) covering the muscle...this is the tissue we as surgeons use to tighten your frame and hour-glass your figure. The muscles live underneath and, big or small, firm or loose, are only passangers as we pull the fascia together....so maintaining your fitness is paramount as it will improve your recovery and results. I more

John Philip Connors III, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Strengthening abdominal muscles before Tummy Tuck not necessary

While it is always nice to keep fit, strengthening your abdominal muscles just in preparation for tummy tuck is unnecessary. There is no specific advantage to doing this. The tummy tuck will tighten the fascia of your abdominal wall, not the muscles. The fascia is the strong tissue that holds your muscles together. You will do better by keeping yourself healthy and not changing your workout routine too much before surgery. If you are overweight, losing weight can be helpful. Good luck.... more

Parham Ganchi, MD

Wayne Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

No need to work on muscles before tummy tuck

There is nothing wrong with your muscles. After pregnancy, it is the fascia (the connective tissue that houses the muscles) that becomes lax. Also this is seen after major weight loss. All the exercise in the world will not fix the damage to this tissue. The surgery does nothing to the muscle, although the perception is that the operation "fixes" the muscle. In reality , the fascia is fixed, the muscle is left alone. vz

Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Abdominal Exercises Before Tummy Tuck

I often hear this question regarding any surgery and my advice is always the same. If the surgery is in the near term, say under 4 weeks, then it makes no sense to exercise the muscles. Drastically changing your routine is never smart before surgery. However, if surgery is later than this then it's okay to do mild exercises to strengthen the muscles. More importantly I think working the cardiovascular system is more important. If you already have an exercise routine than continue it;... more

Christopher L. Hess, MD

Fairfax Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Yes

The best option is the be fit and have strong abdominal muscles before surgery. This will help with surgery and recovery. This does not mean that you have to do abdominal exercise before surgery ,but will help ..

Kamran Khoobehi, MD

New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Exercise before or after tummy tuck

Anything that keeps you healthy before surgery is great. Although, strengthening your abdominal muscles before surgery will not make a difference in your outcome. The covering of the muscles have loosened and that is the tissue that is tightened in surgery to give you a flatter, better shape. So, keep up with your regular exercise and ask your surgeon about their preferences for what to do after surgery until you are fully healed.

Bahram Ghaderi, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Abdominal strength and fitness are beneficial before tummy tuck

Prior to tummy tuck or any cosmetic procedure for that matter is pays dividends to stick to a pattern of a healthy diet, and an active life style that includes exercise. The investment in yourself should begin long before surgery and will help ensure the best results and the fastest recovery. We suggest reaching your ideal body weight, and reaching a baseline level of fitness. Aerobic fitness is best and can include running, stationary bike, swimming, elliptical training, or aerobic... more

Peter E. Johnson, MD

Des Plaines Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Exercise Before Tummy Tuck

There is no benefit to perform abdominal exercises before your surgery. There is also no need to perform the exercises after surgery as well. The surgery itself will tighten things up. Hope that helps.

Farbod Esmailian, MD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Muscle strengthening before tummy tuck?

If you have muscle separation called rectus diastasis, strengthening those muscles before surgery may be near impossible. In fact, if those muscles are working in the wrong position, you may actually cause a widening of the separation by working them too hard. In short, wait until after your tummy tuck to work those muscles. The effort you make then will be much more efficient and safe.

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Elizabeth Lee, MD

Bay Area Plastic Surgeon

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Muscle strengthening for tummy tuck

Not every tummy tuck requires a muscle repair. In my opinion, those patients who have a diastasis or separation of the large vertically oriented muscles, can not be corrected by exercise alone. For this condition tummy tuck provides spectacular results often creating a completely new waistline. It is not uncommon that longstanding backpain is markedly minimized with this procedure due to improved support.

Stanley G. Poulos, MD

Bay Area Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Core strengthening before and after tummy tuck

It helps at any time to improve your muscle tone. I recommend that my patients undergo a course of core strengthening using a Pilates or Yoga style regimen. I believe this produces the best overall contour for the abdomen and will reinforce the repair. I often recommend that patients resume gentle excercises ab out 3 weeks after surgery. see video

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Muscle building and tummy tuck

It really should make no difference except that some of the improvement that you have made in your muscle strength will be lost because you will not be able to exercise during the recovery. You should note that the treatment of the muscle layer during a tummy tuck is not really treating the muscle but the covering of the muscle called the fascia. This is what stretches out with pregnancy and weight gain and is the layer that needs to be tightened.

John P. Stratis, MD

Harrisburg Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Abdominal muscles and tummy tuck surgery

Hi, if you can strengthen your abdominal muscles prior to surgery, you will improve the cosmetic result. After surgery you will need to hold on exercises for a few weeks, so I'd recommend doing it now. Good luck, /nsn.

Nina S. Naidu, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Physical Conditioning Will Help Your Result and Speed Recovery

I feel that toning the abdominal muscles helps the result, and being cardio-fit speeds recovery. I tell patients that I'd rather operate on a 50-year old spin-class queen than a 25-year old couch potato !

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