How Long After Lower Body Lift Can I Perform Heavy Exercise Without Compromising My Results?

Thank you for your question regarding how long you need to wait before resuming heavy exercise after a lower body lift. This is an excellent and very common concern, especially for active individuals like yourself who want to maintain their fitness without compromising their surgical results.

A lower body lift is a major surgery that typically includes removal of excess skin and fat from the abdomen, hips, lower back, and sometimes the buttocks and thighs. Because of the extensive nature of the procedure and the involvement of muscle tightening in many cases, your body will need time to properly heal and strengthen.

Generally, most board-certified plastic surgeons recommend avoiding all strenuous activity, including running, kickboxing, and heavy lifting, for a minimum of 6 to 8 weeks after surgery. Light walking is encouraged early on to promote circulation and reduce the risk of blood clots, but high-impact activities should be avoided until cleared by your surgeon. Resuming exercise too early can lead to wound healing problems, fluid collections (seromas), stretched scars, or even muscle separation, all of which can affect your long-term results.

Once your surgeon has cleared you—typically between 8 to 12 weeks post-op—you can start easing back into cardio and core exercises gradually. Patients are usually able to resume full activity over the course of 3 to 4 months, but this varies based on your individual healing, surgical technique, and how extensive your lift was.

I hope this helps answer your question about when it is safe to resume intense workouts after a lower body lift. If you have any further questions about body contouring, exercise after surgery, or long-term maintenance, please consult with an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon who has performed hundreds of body lifts. Be sure to review their before-and-after pictures and check patient testimonials.

Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen
(President of the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons, Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, International College of Surgery, and American Board of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, and member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, and RealSelf Hall of Fame.)

It's not unusual for patients to be eager to resume their normal exercise routines following lower body lift surgery. In the post-operative period, patients can anticipate limited physical activity for ten to fourteen days following surgery. I, typically, tell my patients bathroom and kitchen privileges initially with slow resumption of normal activity over the next two weeks. Patients can usually return to work if no strenuous activity or heavy lifting is involved. After seven to eight weeks, they can resume all their normal activities including heavy lifting. When resuming exercise routines, it's important to listen to your body and not over do it. When this approach is taken, patients have high satisfaction rates and return to normal quickly.

Thank you for the question.

Yes you will be able to resume strenuous exercise after lower body lifting. Realistically however it may be at least 8 weeks before you feel up to a kickboxing workout  and even then you will have to start slow and “listen to your body”.

Best wishes.

Gentle exercise is reasonable after two to three weeks after a lower body lift when your incision line is well healed, and you are out of range for the development of a fluid collection or seroma. Heavy exercise or contact sports such as kick boxing may have to wait six weeks, and it is always best to resume any activity slowly when you have a period of down time.
Best of luck,
peterejohnsonmd

It would be my preference for you to wait five to six weeks after a body lift before resuming the strenuous exercise routine you have described. I would certainly want all your incisions to be well healed and no evidence of any fluid collections or seromas.