Walking After Calf Liposuction

compression garments are important for the immediate postoperative period. Walking, not jogging nor treadmill, is good to help the body drain the inflammation that occurs during healing. When not walking, it is best to keep your legs elevated but you should move your feet at the ankles to make the calves pump the blood back to your heart. This is all to minimize the chance of developing blood clots.

The very next day after calf liposuction, you can start walking.  Be sure to wear a compression garment or support hose that goes from your toes up to your thighs  for best results and to minimize swelling.  Cost is about $4-5000 on special for calf and ankle liposuctions.  Sincerely,

David Hansen,MD

These recommendations vary among plastic surgeons with some prefering frequent ambulation while others bleieve it promotes swelling. Almost all agree on aggressive compression garment wear for nearly 3 weeks.  

Patients can walk immediately after liposuction. This is true for the calves or any body site.

We do recommend minimal walking the day of surgery, but I advise my patients to begin walking for exercise the day after their procedures.

I always want my patients ambulating as soon as possible.   These are done as outpatietn procedures in  my office and they walk out of the office. I tell them to mobilize at home but wear a compression garment.

Failure to walk after Calf Liposuction combined by the swelling and inflammation of the operation combine to seriously raise the likelihood of blood clot formation in the veins of the calves and legs. Such clots can then become dislodged and reach the heart and lungs.
While I would hope you are wearing a compression garment to minimize swelling, I hope you move your feet and walk to increase flow in the veins and reduce the likelihood of blood clots (DVT).
Dr. Aldea

Tavia,

The best thing to do is to ask your plastic surgeon what they prefer you to do.  That way you have the information directly from the best person to provide you with these recommendations.

If you haven't been in for an evaluation yet, then be sure to write this question down along with any others you may have and take that in with you.

Good luck and rest assured that Board Certified Plastic Surgeons are the most experienced and trained surgeons to provide with you liposuction or any other cosmetic surgical procedure.