Will my Breast Implants Hold Up While Rock Climbing?

Question

There will be situations when I am lodged between two rocks I don't want them to pop. I'm 21 and 5'4" and athletic.

Scott C. Sattler, MD, FACS · Answer

I'm a rock climber myself, and have climbed with women that have breast augmentations. A moderately-sized implant that 'fits' your chest wall should not restrict your mobility, weaken your upper body strength or create other problems while climbing. Certainly, a serious 'whipper' fall against a wall might injure an implant, but probably would create other soft tissue and skeletal injuries as well.
Be careful out there! Belay ON!

Armando Soto, MD, FACS · Answer

Hi there-
Barring an extreme impact (like a kick in the chest by a horse or a severe car accident), your implants should be tolerant of any sporting activity you prefer.
I personally have several professional athletes as patients, and their implants are perfectly beautiful despite the heavy activity these young women engage in.
Soooo, you can enjoy your climb and have the lovely breasts you want when you're done!

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

IT is rare for implants to rupture from simply being squeezed. The most common explanation for implant leakage is "crease fold failure" which is due to repetitive folding along a fold similar to the way a metal hanger breaks when repeatedly folded in the same place. Rock climbing is an isolated event that, in and of itself, will not cause the implants to rupture due to being squeezed.

Sam Speron, MD, FACS · Answer

Your implants should be just fine while you are rock climbing. They are made withstand a significant amount of pressure. It would take quite a force to rupture the implants. Obviously, be careful, but you do not have to usually worry about your implants.
Best regards,
Dr. Speron

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

Rock climbing is a tough sport. While I do not think you should have any problem with your implants, you have to be real careful to avoid getting hurt.  I still haven't seen the John Franco movie yet.

Joseph M. Perlman, MD · Answer

I myself am a rock climber. Other than problems with the tendons and ligaments in your wrists and fingers, there shouldn't be any health issues. As you know, you don't usually pull hard with your arms in order to position yourself as you climb.Whether your top climbing or free climbing, your harness should be well below your breasts. I would probably not climb for at least after your breast augmentation.

Barry Stuart Handler, MD · Answer

I've treated several patients after car accidents when they were wearing a lap belt and I had a patient once who was a soldier and broke her implants when she tripped and fell while marching. With that said, I agree with others that they are well-engineered and pretty tough. Just keep in mind that like everything else, the shell degenerates with time and it is possible 10-20 years down the road that a lesser force could rupture them.

Peter E. Johnson, MD · Answer

Breast implants are very durable and will hold up under any stress that sports can deliver, including rock climbing. After a breast augmentation you should be able to participate in any activity of your choosing. If you do not have breast implants already, you may wish to carefully think about how your implants are positioned. As a rock climber, physical strength in the upper body is very important to success and safety. You should consider a subglandular implant if performance is important to you, and you may wish a smaller cup size and implant projection to climb well.
Best of luck.

Scott E. Kasden, MD, FACS · Answer

The implants are very tough. Most will last over 14 years or so. They will usually come with a lifetime warranty, and so don't worry. Also, they are not likely going to last your lifetime anyway, so expect that you may require a revision in the future.

David Shuter, MD · Answer

Breast Implants have been around for approx 40 years and have gone through many generations of improvement. Just as a computer from 10 years ago seems extremely archaic today, advances in materials engineering and implant technology have resulted in much stronger breast implants than those of the past. They can rupture in extreme circumstances (a mammogram can squeeze so tightly and rupture an implant) but this is rare. Virtually any type of exercise should be OK once you are healed.

Will my Breast Implants Hold Up While Rock Climbing?

Answers (15)

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