Running after tummy tuck: When can I run at least or jog?

I strongly recommend that my patients wait 6 full weeks from the time of surgery to do anything more than light, slow walking. When surgery is performed many patients make the mistake of thinking they are “fixed”and ready to go, like a repair of a piece of furniture.  But the tissues actually get weaker and weaker  for the first 3 weeks after surgery, reaching the weakest point at the three week mark and then slowly healing and regaining strength from the third week on so that by the 6th week the repair is back to 70% of normal, and usually strong enough to withstand the normal forces of exercise. If you start moving too much,too soon you will have problems.  The incisions can open or pull apart. A seroma can develop- this is a fluid collection that builds up under the skin.  “Progressive tension sutures” help to tack down the tisssues and decrease the risk of a seroma but if you move the tissues too much they will still pull apart. So you need to give things time to “set” or “cure”. The same reason a cast stays on a broken arm for 6 weeks.  

I would consult with your plastic surgeon and see the post op care that you would follow. For my patients I tell them after 3 weeks they can do brisk walking on the treadmill and if everything is going well in 6 weeks they should be cleared for running.

Every surgeon has their own recovery protocol so it is best to ask
him/her what their specifications are and recovery time is highly
dependent on the patient and the extent of the tummy tuck surgery. With
that said, I generally recommend patients not to resume vigorous
exercise and heavy lifting of weight more than 15lbs, sit-ups, and
crunches, until 8 weeks after the surgery. Good luck!
Kamran Azad MD, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon