Ab workout after tummy tuck?

For my own tummy tuck patients, I tell them to avoid any exercise that might strain their core muscles (like the abs) for the first six weeks after surgery.  Even after being given the go-ahead to start exercising again, many patients are reluctant to dive back in out of fear of messing up their results.Your surgeon gave you excellent advice - to take it easy when you feel ready to start working on your abs, and equally important, to listen to your body as you're exercising.  I tell my patients who are interested in getting back to their regular workouts that strange/weird sensations can be normal at the beginning, that gentle post-exercise soreness is fine, but pain is not and can be an indication that you're doing too much.Five months after a tummy tuck, continuing a healthy lifestyle - which may include an ab-focused workout - can help you maintain and refine your great results.Hope this helps, and best of luck,Dr. Lim

At 5 months postoperatively,
you should be safe to resume abdominal workouts provided that everything has
healed normally. As your doctor advised, it is important to resume these
exercises gradually and listen to your body. While tummy tucks do help tighten
the muscle, abdominal workout will help improve your strength and further tone
your abdomen. If you have further questions regarding your recovery, I
recommend reaching out to your surgeon. Good luck!

In your case, always checking with your operating surgeon about their specific restrictions is the best answer.  In my practice, I allow core strengthening to start about 2 months after surgery. You may begin with a small fraction of the exercises that you were doing prior. For example, if you are used to doing 50 sit ups you would start with 5-10 and see how you feel before progressing to more over the next week. Your muscles have been pulled together but strengthening them as they are pulled together is still possible.  5 months post op should be fine to start- just double check with your surgeon. It never hurts to be 100% sure.