I am wanting a breast reduction and I play tennis regularly. How long will my downtime be before I could resume normal play?

Thank you for the question and congratulations on your decision to proceed with breast reduction surgery; this operation tends to be one of the most patient pleasing operations we perform.Your plastic surgeon will be your best resource when it comes to returning to your specific line of work. He/she will know how you are progressing and whether or not you have experienced any complications. Generally, most patients are able to return to the “desk job” within 5 to 7 days. More strenuous work, for example involving lifting or extensive upper body movement, will require more time off. Tennis, given the strenuous nature of the sport,  would require a longer period of time off (in my practice I would recommend 6 to 8 weeks away.  Generally, I ask patients to ease back into activity slowly and "listen to their bodies" as they do so.

Best wishes.

It's always best to check with your surgeon about his or her protocol. I advise my patients that they are usually able to return to full upper body activities, like tennis and weight training, at about 6 weeks after surgery, and are comfortable at that time. For more information on this and similar topics, I recommend a plastic surgery Q&A book like "The Scoop On Breasts: A Plastic Surgeon Busts the Myths."

In our practice, we asked patient to have breast reduction to wait 2-3 weeks before they return to full physical activities.  In some cases more time is required depending on how the healing is going to.  Of course we evaluate the patient's once every week or so to make sure when they are ready.