Can push ups cause a breast implant to rupture?

Question

Ive had mild breast pain for about 6 years in my left pectoral muscle (ever since i had silicone implants.) It seems to be aggravated a day after working out my chest. Does this indicate i might have a rupture? Could not getting them removed be damaging to my health? I eventually want to get them replaced with a lift, but I'm not in the financial position to do that right now.. Is my health in immediate danger?

Carlos Mata, MD, MBA, FACS · Answer

Hi BeaLove,Thank you for your question. It is not uncommon to have breast pain after a breast augmentation. The fact that you have had breast pain for six years is a bit alarming. It is unlikely that doing push-ups would cause your implants to rupture however it may be possible assuming that there was an initial damage to your implant during your breast augmentation.  Usually most women report that a ruptured implant feels different as compared to the non-ruptured side. I would recommend being evaluated by your plastic surgeon. A simple ultrasound may be able to tell you if your implant is ruptured which is relatively inexpensive compared to an MRI. The MRI may be more accurate however. You are likely not in any immediate danger in terms of your health as some women have had ruptured implant for over 20 years in my experience. However what does happen is that the implant and the scar tissue around the implant or capsule can become hard and calcified. This makes future surgeries more challenging and sometimes more expensive. If the implants rupture they can certainly be corrected when you have your breast lift and implant exchange. Good luck. All the Best,

Carlos Mata MD, MBA, FACS

Board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon

#BreastAugmentation #Ruptured Implants

David A. Sieber, MD, FACS · Answer

Thanks for the great question. Rupturing your implant from doing push ups is very unlikely. When the companies do testing of the silicone shells, they are able to stretch many feet into the air before breaking. That being said, there are other things which may cause the implant to rupture. I would recommend seeing your surgeon for an evaluation. They will be able to order any necessary tests to diagnose a possible rupture. Best of luck!~Dr. Sieber

Jon A. Perlman, MD (retired) · Answer

You do not state how old your implants are but if they are less than 10 to 15 years old I think the chances of you having a ruptured implant are quite small but not zero.  Continuing pain warrants getting either a mammogram, ultrasound or an MRI for evaluation.  In my experience implants that are over 20 years old can become very delicate and fragile and they can rupture from minor trauma but again this is unlikely if your implants are less than 10 years of age.Releasing the origins of the pectoral muscle to place an implant may cause changes to the muscle and the adjacent nerves that may cause some pain with exercise.  This generally disappears within a reasonable period of time and should not last for six years.  Some of my patients I have seen breast pain (not muscle pain) that probably relates to fibrocystic disease that often improves when patients decrease their caffeine and chocolate consumption for four weeks or more.  This does not seem to be your problem but worthwhile mentioning.Return to your plastic surgeon or gynecologist for evaluation and best wishes.

Can push ups cause a breast implant to rupture?

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Can push ups cause a breast implant to rupture?

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Everything you need to know about Breast Implant Revision

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