How Long After a Rhinoplasty Before I Can Resume Activity?

My guidelines for resuming activity after rhinoplasty are as follows:

1) Light activity (walking, normal daily activities): 1 day after surgery

2) Moderate-Heavy activity (running, cycling, yoga, swimming, etc.): 10-14 days after surgery

3) Contact sports or activities in which pressure may be placed on the nose (basketball, football, diving, etc.): 8 weeks after surgery, to give the nasal bones time to heal. 

Before considering diving, it is important to make sure that you are able to equilibrate the pressure in your ears. After rhinoplasty there can be a few week period of nasal congestion which can make this process challenging.  

Regards,

Dr. Mehta

Diving can cause your nose to shift in position. Therefore, you need to be fully healed before you go diving again. I recommend you to wait at least 12 months. Your surgeon will be able to give you an exact date based on how well you are healing. Good luck.

Thank you for your question. After surgery, there will be some swelling. The swelling can take many months to resolve, although most people stop noticing it after a couple of months. People are usually back to performing most activities after a week and resuming all activities after two to four weeks.

Patients who undergo rhinoplasty are often eager to resume their normal exercise routine. Unfortunately, any maneuver that elevates blood pressure in the immediate post-operative period can result in bleeding. The risk increases when septoplasty is performed in combination with rhinoplasty.
                For this reason, we recommend avoiding most exertion for about two weeks following surgery. Strenuous activities such as diving, running, and weight lighting should be avoided for six to eight weeks following surgery.

                It’s important to discuss these issues with your surgeon before resuming exercise. Your surgeon will be able to tell you when it’s appropriate to resume your normal exercise routine. 

Thank you for your question. Straining, bending and lifting should be avoided during the early postoperative period. In many instances, you may be able to return to work within 7 to 10 days after surgery. Most normal activities including exercise can usually be resumed within three weeks.It will be a few months before you can expose your reshaped nose to direct sunlight. Your nose will be sensitive during this time, and you must be conscientious about using a sunblock to protect your skin. If the bones of your nose were altered, it may be a number of weeks before you can wear glasses without special support such as tape. Best of luck!Dhaval M. Patel Double board certifiedPlastic surgeonHoffman EstatesBarringtonOakbrookChicago

The initial swelling will subside in a couple of weeks to a month, then residual swelling may last for up to a year or so. I recommend patients avoid exercising for about 6 weeks, and this includes swimming. Of course you should ask your surgeon for their advice as it may be different.