Going Back to Personal Trainer After Mommy Makeover

Each surgeon has a different routine.  Check with yours before starting any vigorous training program.

Our routine, after tummy tuck and breast augmentation is:

1)  minimize training of the pec. major muscles (push-ups, pec-deck, dumbell fly).  These exercises can potentially, over time, contribute to lateral migration of the implants.  Do specific exercises which isolate & focus on the biceps, triceps, and deltoids only.

2)  wait 3 months after tummy tuck before resuming abdominal / "core" strengthening, golf, tennis, pilates or yoga.

 

Hope that helps!

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

The Mommy Makeover is a combination of procedures to bring a woman’s body back to the way she looked prior to pregnancy. Most commonly some variation of a #TummyTuck and #BreastSurgery are performed. Additional procedures can include liposuction, umbilical hernia repair.  The most common #breastprocedures include #mastopexy or #breastlift, #breastaugmentation, or #breastreduction.    

Healing after a  #tummytuck will require time. Some patients are out of bed and walking the night of surgery and every hour while awake. I allow my patients to return to work at one to two weeks with 14 days preferred.  However, no lifting or straining.  At three weeks, increased level of activity and full with no restrictions, at 6 weeks. #MummyTummy is a term given to modified tummy tucks which can use liposuction and skin tightening with radiofrequency such Vanquish, Vela3, thermage, thermiRF and others.  The actual fat contouring can be done non-surgically as well with #UltraShape or Cool-Sculpting.As I advise my patients, if your work keeps you sedentary, you may return whenever you feel up to it. If your work is strenuous, wait until your work activity does not cause any superficial pain. Some employers will modify a person’s job duties so they can back sooner, but without physical activity. Our office can provide our patients with a note stating they are not to engage in strenuous activity for a specified period of time. The note will not disclose what procedure they have underwent. Therefore, you may have to request a similar note from your surgeon if you are not independently employed. I recommend avoiding heavy lifting and strenuous #activity for six weeks following your surgery. With that said, it may help you plan your return to work accordingly.

As for heavy lifting and other #strenuous #activities, it should be avoided for until you have clearance from your surgeon. You may, however, do normal activities at any time if they cause no pain or #discomfort. Let your body tell you what you can or cannot do. Aerobic exercise will raise your blood pressure, which could cause late bleeding and harm your result. Once you begin exercising again, start gently and let your body tell you what it can tolerate. Don’t rush!!  If you have concerns about your healing, or pain that you question to be unusual, it is important to call your plastic surgeon to discuss these further asked to be examined.

It’s unfortunate that you have not gotten an answer back from your plastic surgeon’s office.  I would recommend making an appointment so you can get an answer directly from the surgeon if his staff has dropped the ball!  I’m sure he would like to know that is happening, plus, he will know best what to advise since he has all the details about your case and your surgery.  In general, I tell my patients that have had a mommy makeover they may begin gentle exercise, such as a slow treadmill or slow elliptical without the arms, at 3-4 weeks out (if the drains are out AND healing is progressing uneventfully).  By about 4-5 weeks they can begin to get more vigorous with exercise.  Usually, 6 weeks need to have passed before engaging in weight lifting or core exercises.  High impact activities like kickboxing or crossfit may require longer depending on things like tightness of the muscle repair, size of the impact, or delayed healing of the incisions.  I would suggest starting slowly, advance gradually, and listen to your body (if something hurts or makes you swell you are probably not ready for it).  I would hold on the trainer until you feel comfortable doing the activities you usually do with him/her.  You don’t want someone pushing you to do more until you are fully healed!

I usually recommend patients wait for at least 6 weeks before resuming exercise. Stick with light cardio at first, then after a little while, start with light weights. Of course you should ask your surgeon first what their recommendations are, though! Keep trying to contact your surgeon, or you may want to review the post-op instructions provided to you. That usually has some info about exercise restrictions.

The mommy makeover addresses
redundant abdominal tissue with weakened muscles, loss of breast volume, breast
sag and localized fat collections of the hips and thighs. Patients can
anticipate limited physical activity for two weeks following this procedure.
During the initial two weeks patients are allowed bathroom and kitchen privileges.
At two weeks, they are allowed to gradually resume normal activities with the
exception of strenuous activities and heavy lifting. Patients can usually
return to work in two weeks if no strenuous activity is involved. After six to
eight weeks patients can resume all their normal activities including strenuous
activities, heavy lifting and aggressive workouts.

 

         It’s appropriate to
return to your personal trainer six to eight weeks following surgery. It’s
important to go slow at first and gradually resume your normal exercise
program. Make sure, you listen to your body. If you’re not ready for a
particular activity your body will let you know.

Great question. You should understand that everyone is a bit different but in general six weeks is a good period of time. However, you cannot start at full speed with your workout, otherwise you will be like one of my patients who called and said she felt like she needed to be in intensive care. When I asked her what had happened she said she went back to exercising and did her usual 200 sit ups and now was in pain and could hardly stand up. The moral of the story is to start slow and rebuild your conditioning over time.

After 5 weeks, you should be okay to return to your exercise regimen slowly.  However, it's very important that you see your plastic surgeon and get clearance from her before doing anything.  If you've called 3 times with no response, call the office and ask for the plastic surgeon or the office manager.  When you do return to exercise, make sure your trainer knows that you had surgery.  You don't have to say what kind, but just be sure you're not pushed too hard too fast.  Good luck!

Each surgeon will have their own set of rules for when to return to activity and when to increase the intensity of the exercise.  Your surgeon should tell you what they expect of you.  Usual time off is 3 weeks before returning to light cardio and is 6 weeks, especially if you have had the abdominal muscles repaired.  This gives time for the tissues to heal and strengthen enough to take additional stress. 

After a mommy makeover you want to be careful not to damage anything that your plastic surgeon repaired.  The muscle repair/tightening in the tummy tuck must be given enough time to heal properly otherwise when you exercise and your muscles flex, they'll break apart the repair.  I ask my patients no to lift anything heavy or strain for 6 weeks, to wear an abdominal binder continuously for the 6 weeks.  After that I recommend that they wear a binder whenever they exercise or do physical work.  For the breast instead of the binder I have them wear a tight sports bra for the same reasons.  Too much activity will break apart the repair.

Exercises such as eliptical, bike, or treadmill, when done not too vigorously, are a great way to stay in shape while recovering.

Sincerely,

Martin Jugenburg, MD