Running After Tummy Tuck?

Hi there, There are many different variations on the tummy tuck, but if your planned procedure will involve tightening of your abdominal muscles, I would personally not want you running (not even lightly) until the 6 week point. Human scars do not gain in strength in a linear fashion after surgery, but rather exponentially for the first 6 weeks, and it is only at that point that your muscle repair will be at 90% of it's eventual strength. Running is obviously very taxing to the body core... more

It may be pushing it a bit to begin that type of training after 3 weeks, but do what your plastic surgeon advises. I tell my patients that within 3 weeks they can begin some light cardio such as fast walking on a treadmill and work up gradually from there.

Running 7, I appreciate your enthusiasm for running. You also probably have a high tolerance for pain, but there is no way that you will be able to achieve that level of exercise 3 1/2 weeks after a tummy tuck. It will simply be too painful, aside from the fact that you will likely tear the stitches that are used to tighten your abdominal musculature. Put the endorphin rush on hold for at least 6 weeks and even then, be careful and listen to your body. Good luck!

In general most patients wouldn't feel like agressive running until about 6 weeks after a "full" abdominoplasty. After checking with your surgeon you should be able to start with brisk walking or perhpas an elliptical trainer at about 3 weeks. The bouncing and pounding from running will likley be too uncomfortable until aobut 6 weeks. Each patient is unique so please confirm with your surgeon.

All patients are different, and some do heal more quickly than others, but 3 weeks is not enough time. With that level of training and the amount of running you are planning on doing, you need at least 5 weeks. I recommend to all my tummy tuck patients to wait at least 6 weeks to resume full activity, but 5 weeks is acceptable. Any quicker than that and you are risking your results, and your health. The body needs time to recover.

Wound healing strength increases significantly from the 14th day after surgery up to two years after surgery, when the optimal strength will have been achieved. At 6-8 weeks after surgery, your wound healing strength should be at 60-70%. At 3 weeks, you are too weak to start running. Be patient!

It sounds like you are starting your workout regimen a bit too soon. Tummy tuck patients require longer recuperations than most other surgeries that I perform. Patients are instructed to avoid aerobic type activity for at least 3-4 weeks and heavy lifting or sit-ups for 6-8 weeks. This rule is of course flexible and individually variable. However, this usually refers to light activity. Training for a marathon is vigorous and I would not recommend it that soon after surgery.... more

Hello, I believe this is too early for heavy activity after a tummy tuck. I would have you waiting 6-8 weeks but then I am conservative. Best Regards

Regarding "I run an average of 4 to 7 miles at 3 to 5 times a week". I admire your discipline and feel sympathetic exhaustion just reading it. But - I WOULD NOT resume such exercises for at least 6-8 weeks after your operation. To understand why - consider what Plastic surgeons do in a tummy tuck and what the end point of healing is. We undermine a large portion of the anterior abdominal wall - separating skin and fat from the muscles. The muscles are tightened and brought back... more

If you have a tummy tuck with muscle repair, then 3 weeks is too early to start jogging. The muscle repair is the equivalent of a hernia repair, and you do NOT want to stress it too early. Even if you feel great, your body has not healed to the point where it can withstand the force generated from the impact of jogging. Early on, we are relying on the strength of the sutures to hold things together, and strenuous exercise or muscular activity can actually break these sutures. (You would... more