How Soon After a Tummy Tuck Can I Go on Theme Park Rides?

We instruct our patients to avoid heavy activities for about 6-8 weeks.

The reasoning is that by then some amount of healing has happened between the reconstructed abdominal muscle. Also you want to make sure the soft tissues have healed at least partially to the covering of the muscle. Lastly, your inicisions has to be healed before doing extreme activities.

You should avoid heavy lifting and it would be best to gradually increase your activities.

Please consult your plastic surgeon for more individualized answer given that he know what kind of techniques he used during your procedure.

Hopefully this was helpful.

Dr. Sajjadian

Six weeks should generally be safe but having said that, common sense is king! As you have suggested, I would avoid the particulary "violent" rides in favor of the normal roller coasters. I think I personally would not feel comfortable until 3 months.

Generally speaking by 6 weeks you can start more strenous activities as long as your incisions are completely healed and sealed.  However, I would consider avoiding the very extreme rides.  Ultimately, your plastic surgeon is the best judge of this. 

Generally the rule is nothing strenuous for 6 weeks after surgery.  Light exercise can be commenced after being examined by your doctor.  For the next 6 weeks (3 months after surgery) you should gradually build up your body back to the state before surgery.  Harsh rides should be avoided for at least 3 months possibly longer depending on how well you have recovered.   Best of luck, Dr. Michael Omidi

An in-person exam with a board-certified plastic surgeon is the
best way to assess your needs and provide true medical advice.

Regarding ; " How soon after a tummy tuck can I go on theme park rides?  I'm currently 4 weeks post-op and won a trip to Disneyland & California Adventure 2 weeks from now. So at 6 weeks is it safe to get on the rides? Or should I avoid harsh rides (Splash Mountain, Tower of Terror, etc)? I mentioned it to my surgeon and he said it should be fine, but I'm planning on talking about it with him in more detail during my next appt. I just want to get advice/opinions from other surgeons, as someone may have experience with this type of thing."

The underlying question is has enough time passed to allow sufficient healing to brace the muscle repair and attachment of the skin to the tightened muscles and would crazy park rides risk wound disruption?  By 6-8 weeks there should be more than enough healing to allow you to resume mild exercising and some weight lifting. Even going on those crazy rides if you enjoy that sort of thing.

Good Luck. Don't forget to put on the scopolamine patches take barf bags along...

Dr. Aldea

Yikes - how soon do you want to?  I generally advise my patients that there is no exercise for 3 weeks post-op, and after that you can start slowly and advance as tolerated.  A semi-violent theme park ride at 4 weeks does not count as advancing slowly as tolerated.  I would say you should skip those rides for now.  At 6 weeks you can do full exercises - and if you feel okay, then the jerky, pulling motions of a ride will probably be okay.  But before then, I would probably advise against...you don't want to be mid-ride and have a sudden jerk, pull, twist, turn...pain...etc.

I hope that this helps, and good luck,

Dr. E