Tummy Tuck Q&A
94%
WORTH IT RATING
"Worth It Rating" shows the % of consumer reviewers that stated the procedure was "Worth It" or not. See more RealSelf Worth It Ratings or Add Your Review
2,305 Reviews
Tummy Tuckbefore & after photos
View Before and Afters

Average Tummy Tuck Cost: $7,950

Learn about Tummy Tuck

7,756 people and 865 doctors are talking about Tummy Tuck

Get Free Email Updates

Can I Start Contracting Stomach Muscles 5 Days Post-Op Tummy Tuck with Lipo?

asked 8 months ago by gpsjj in Toronto, ON
Latest answer by Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Question viewed 90 times
Tags: 1 week post-op, flexing

5 days after tummy tuck. Should I start contracting my stomach muscles ? I have no drains and I'm using compression garment. Thanks

6 answers to Can I Start Contracting Stomach Muscles 5 Days Post-Op Tummy Tuck with Lipo?

+2

Muscle exercise after tummy tuck

It is important to let the stomach muscles heal. Most tummy tucks have sutures in the midline holding the very important fascial layer. It is unwise to disrupt the sutures by exercise of any kind. Most doctors ask their patients not to exercise their abdominal muscles for six to eight weeks after surgery. For patients with wound healing issues, that period could be even longer. Fluid collections or worse, a disruption of the deep layer requiring surgery to fix, could... more
Brent Moelleken, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

www.drbrent.com

+2

Can I Start Contracting Stomach Muscles 5 Days Post-Op Tummy Tuck with Lipo?

Seriously, how can any of us respond since we are not your treating surgeon. Give the surgeon a call to check if this is acceptable in his post operative protocol. In mine, it is not, I tell, write my detailed instructions to all my patients. No muscle use for atleaast 10 days.
Darryl J. Blinski, MD

Miami Plastic Surgeon
+2

Tummy Tuck, Using Muscles

It is fine to be up and moving around the house and increasing your activities to the limit of your comfort, but it is way too early to do any specific exercises or muscle contractions of the abdominal muscles. I prefer to have my patients avoid specific core exercises for 8 weeks postop.
Ronald V. DeMars, MD

Portland Plastic Surgeon

www.drdemarsmd.com

+2

Exercise after a tummy tuck needs to wait!

Aftercare instructions should always be directed to your surgeon and their nursing team as each procedure and each patient is different. In general, you can and will contract your muscles gently this early after a tummy tuck but you must allow for more time to heal before any exercise. If you had your muscle "repaired" as part of the procedure it is advisable to avoid strenuous activity for 6-8 weeks. Too much activity too soon can increase your risk of complications and... more
Mathew C. Mosher, MD

Vancouver Plastic Surgeon

www.drmosher.com

+2

Using the abs after a tummy tuck

If you had muscle repair, you should treat it like a hernia repair and not strain it for 8 weeks. Mainly though, this is a question for YOUR doctor as they would hate for you to be getting this on the internet!
Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+2

Early Tummy Tuck Recovery

Thank you for your question. Since you are very early in the recovery process of having tummy tuck surgery, I would suggest taking it easy for the first week or two and follow the instructions of your surgeon. The recovery of the tummy tuck surgery is significant and if you start doing too much/ too early, you may cause problems. Take it easy and allow your body to heal.
Tom J. Pousti, MD

San Diego Plastic Surgeon

www.poustiplasticsurgery.com

Ask a question