Safe to Play Contact Sports After Otoplasty?

Question

I want to have my ears pinned back and was wondering if i would still be able to participate in contact sports such as boxing if i had this done?

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

Activity and sports are restricted afer surgery to allow uninterrupted healing in the ears' new positions which are maintained entirely by stitches. AS the healing proceeds, typically for about 6 weeks, activity can be increased and return to normal.

Ozge Ergun, MD · Answer

Thanks for the question. After 6 weeks your surgery area is totally healed and yes you can do boxing and also do other activities. I wish you all the best.

Richard J. Bruneteau, MD · Answer

It’s not unusual for younger
patients who undergo otoplasty to participate in sports.  These patients are usually eager to
return to athletics as soon as possible following otoplasty.  In most cases patients are advised to
avoid contact sports for 6-8 weeks and non-contact sports
for 2 to 3 weeks following otoplasty.

Boxing,
kick boxing and wrestling represent special situations since the ears can
suffer significant trauma with these sports.  For this reason, these sports should not be resumed for 3 to
4 months following surgery and head gear should be worn whenever possible.

If
you’re an athlete who’s considering otoplasty, it’s important to discuss this
issue with your plastic surgeon. 
Your surgeon should be able to give you specific information about when
it’s safe to participate in sports.

Sam Naficy, MD, FACS · Answer

After otoplasty it is a good idea to avoid getting the ears smacked for a month or so. This typically means no boxing, wrestling, cage fighting, etc. Long-term the ears are fine for any kind of sport.

Shahram Salemy, MD, FACS · Answer

If you are going to go through the time, energy and costs of having an otoplasty, the worst thing you could do afterwards is have someone potentially directly strike the ear.  At the very least this will certainly cause a distortion of the ear, and at worst, completely destroy the otoplasty.
Other sports like soccer, basketball, etc, are fine after a few months, but I would recommend no more boxing if you have this procedure done.

Sam Speron, MD, FACS · Answer

Hi,
Thank you for your question.
Contact sports or any activity that could damage your ears should be avoided for at least one to two months. In a high contact sport such as boxing, you may want to give it even more time to avoid the risk of damaging your ears.
Ultimately, there is always a risk with boxing of ear trauma since it is quite a violent sport.
Thanks for your question. Have a great day!
Best regards,
Dr. Speron

Kevin Ende, MD · Answer

I agree with Dr. Waldman. I would just add that contact sports can lead to more than just suture breakage. Revision surgery is not always as successful as the first procedure and it is best to avoid it, if possible.

Kris M. Reddy, MD, FACS · Answer

Each patient will heal differently. Most patients are restricted for 6 weeks, and then the restrictions will ease as the patient heals. Follow the lead of the surgeon.

Robert Mounsey, MD · Answer

Boxing or other sports where direct trauma to the ear is possible can causing hematomas and permanent deformity. After an Otoplasty I like my patients to refrain from engaging in any activity that may injure the ear for at least 6 weeks. After that time it is prudent to protect the ear from direct trauma to avoid ear deformity.

Philip Young, MD · Answer

It all depends on how long ago you had the procedure. Your wound slowly accumulates its previous strength but it will never be as strong as it was. The max strength that you get compared to native untouched skin or tissue is 89%. This is based on studies that test wound strength through tension experiments that test at what point a wound was likely to come a part.  
After your procedure, you will gain 60% at 6 weeks, 80% at 6 months, and 88-89% at 2 years.  So, it takes a while to regain most of the strength back. This is important to know when you start exercising after your procedure.
Contact sports is okay especially if you wear head gear. There is no exact answer to which contact sport is or is no okay. The more trauma the worst the damage that you can create to your ears. Otoplasty is dependent most of the time from sutures earlier on and then later scarring that holds the ear in place. Trauma early on based on the above information and previous studies is worse than if it happens later.

Safe to Play Contact Sports After Otoplasty?

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