How long after surgery should I wait to start kickboxing again?

I appreciate your question.



I would recommend that you discuss this question with your surgeon as every surgeon has their own respective post op protocol for his/her patients.  Your surgeon is your best resource as he/she is most familiar with your medical history and how you are healing at this time.

For my patients, I recommend no heavy lifting or strenuous activity for 6-8 weeks following surgery.

The best way to assess and give true advice would be an in-person exam.



Please see a board-certified plastic surgeon that specializes in aesthetic and restorative plastic surgery.



Best of luck!



Dr. Schwartz



Board Certified Plastic Surgeon



#RealSelf100Surgeon

Kickboxing is a strenuous, high impact activity. Your plastic surgeon should give you a timeline for recovery that includes when you can begin resuming exercise. In general, you can expect to take it easy for the first 2 weeks after your breast lift, and then slowly ease back into low impact activities. Within about 4 weeks, you should be able to begin ramping up your activity level to include more cardiovascular exercise. By 6 weeks, you should be able to resume kickboxing. As far as breastfeeding goes, not all women are able to breastfeed, and that has nothing to do with whether or not they’ve had a breast lift. By minimizing the amount of ductal tissue that’s removed during your lift, your plastic surgeon can help avoid impacting your ability to breastfeed.

Typically, I have my patients take it really easy for the first two weeks and then start adding in cardio first and then resistance training.  By four weeks, you can do CrossFit or kickboxing or really anything.  To address your second question, studies have actually shown that there is no statistical difference in the ability for a woman undergoing a lift or reduction to successfully breast feed compared to the general population of patients who have not had surgery.  Contrary to some rumors, your nipple is NOT taken off and then "put back on".  I hear that all the time and it's a huge relief once patients are educated on the surgery and the facts.  Hope this helps and I wish you all the best!  Make sure you find a plastic surgeon that you trust and who can deliver a gorgeous result!!-JGH

These are excellent and commonly asked questions. Any type of intense physical activity should be delayed for at least 2-3 weeks. If implants are being placed under the muscle at the same time, then it may be at least 4-6 weeks before resuming upper body activity. Aerobic activity or weights where both of which involve your core and/or legs can be started at about 3 weeks. Breast feeding will be unpredictable, again depending on the procedure performed. If the breast tissue is disrupted, one may or may not be able to breast feed. If breast feeding is very impertant to you, then you may want to delay your surgery until after you have had all the pregnancies you desire. Every surgeon has a different routine, so be sure to check with them. 

For question 1, it would be best to wait about 6 weeks, since there is contact to the chest.  You could start working out aerobically after about 3 weeks however.  For question 2, you should be able to breast feed your children without any difficulty after the breast lift, since the ducts are not cut during the procedure.  

These are very good questions, best addressed to your plastic surgeon, who knowing exactly what is planned, will be able to provide you with specific guidelines and more helpful predictions. Generally speaking, timing to  return to specific types of exercise will vary from one patient to another. I would suggest that you gradually ease back into the strenuous aerobic exercise 4 to 6 weeks postoperatively, assuming that you are doing well and there have been no complications. Use common sense, listen to your body, and gradually resume previous activity. In my practice, I ask patients to avoid contact and strenuous exercise involving the  pectoralis major muscles ( such as push-ups, bench press,   burpees,  and contact sports for at least 3 months.  Best wishes.