When to Start Basic Cardio Exercises After Breast Augmentation?

Thank you for your question. You definitely want to follow your own surgeon's post-op activity instructions. This is a general guide I give to my patients:
1) No heavy lifting or strenous activity for 6 weeks.
2) Resume walking at a leisurely pace right after surgery (e.g. 2 mph)
3) At 2 weeks, you can walk 2 miles at 2mph
4) At 3 weeks, you can walk 3 miles at 3mph
5) At 4 weeks, you can walk 4 miles at 4mph
6) At 5 weeks, you can jog 5 miles at 5mph
7) At 6 weeks, you can resume all activities, but listen to your body and use discomfort or tightness as a guide so you don't over do it.

Breast augmentation is a short surgery which is typically performed as an outpatient. I prefer the patients take a week off from work. At that point they can return to work or school, but should refrain from all vigorous physical activity. At 1 month, they can resume cardio typo exercises. At 2 months they can engage in more vigorous activity.

Thanks for your question!
No vigorous exercise or lifting greater than 10 lbs for 3 weeks. Check with your surgeon for his/her guidelines/restrictions. Best wishes!

Thanks for the question. After 6 weeks your surgery area is totally healed and yes you can do gym and also do other activities. I wish you all the best.

Hello SoCalfitgirl,
At our practice, we boast a 24-hour rapid recovery program. Usually with our patients, we recommend resuming low impact lower body exercises after two weeks and resuming high impact lower body exercising after four weeks (i.e. running, cardio). After six weeks, usually our patients are resuming normal upper and lower body activities.
It is always best to check with your plastic surgeon for your specific recovery process.
Good luck with everything.
Best,
Dr. Christopher Chang, MD
Washington DC, Maryland and Virigina

It would be best to consult with your surgeon as he may have different recommendations, but my personal advice to my patients is to start walking (NOT power walking) as much as they want AFTER the first week. To resume sports, cardio, heavy lifting, or any other strenuous activity, after 4-6 weeks.

I advise them to wear extra high impact sports bra for adequate support, when exercising, and to start gently and gradually build up to the level they were before they had the surgery.

After the initial 6 weeks, depending on your healing process, you should be able to resume all activities that you used to do, before surgery, but you should still be careful and avoid activities such as contact sports for a few months to come. Although you may feel fully recovered, your breast and chest area is still healing and any trauma against your breasts could result in unnecessary complications.


It is important to allow your body to heal and not rush through the recovery. After all, you have had the surgery and would like to enjoy of your results without any unnecessary complications.