After an otoplasty surgery will I ever be okay to train martial arts?

Thank you for submitting your questions. Usually you can return to martial arts 6 - 8 weeks after your otoplasty. However if your martial arts includes contact kicks above the shoulders, you should wear protective headgear that includes protection of your ears. I would suggest you speak to your Board-certified plastic surgeon for the best results. 

After otoplasty it's important not to allow anyone to strike or forcefully pull on your ears...EVER...unless you want to risk disrupting some of the sutures that help maintain the shape and position of the ear. However, with proper headgear that protects the ears from such forces, you should otherwise be able to train in quite a number of martial arts. But take a look at how many wrestlers' and MMA fighters' ears look who haven't taken such precautions and they haven't even had aesthetic surgery on them.All the best,--DCPPearson Facial Plastic Surgery®

After otoplasty surgery we are recommending no contact sports for 6 weeks although normal exercises allowed after just 2 weeks.  Specifically for martial arts I would recommend at least 2-3 months to avoid pulling on the postauricular incision however it would be best discussed this with your surgeon specifically.  Best of luck to you.

I recommend my patients avoid contact sports for 6 weeks after surgery.  Then if they were going to do martial arts, I would recommend a headband to protect the ears for another 2 months.

If you have your ears pinned with the Dr Merck Stitch Method, it is possible to resume training in all martial arts immediately after the operation with the exception of professional wrestling.

One needs to be very careful to avoid trauma to the ears following otoplasty. I restrict my patients from contact sports for 3 months following surgery, and often have them wear a protective headband thereafter when involved in risky activity. The ears are very vulnerable to trauma, and to maintain a successful result following surgery it is important to protect the ears for as long as possible to avoid recurrence. Speak to your surgeon before surgery about his/her recommendations for restricting activity. Good luck!

Thank you for your question. This would be a question to discuss with your surgeon in detail. Keep in mind that it will take weeks to months to fully heal. However activities will be limited post surgery. 

Yes patients are able to participate in martial arts after otoplasty.  This is after a recovery phase of at least 6 weeks and clearance from their plastic surgeon.

Once fully healed, 9 to 12 weeks following surgery, you should be good to resume your martial arts.  Your surgeon can give you medical clearance as long as there are no surgical complications.