Is the Treadmill 3 Weeks After Breast Reduction too Soon?

Thank you for your question. You definitely want to follow your own surgeon's post-op activity instructions. This is a general guide I give to my patients:
1) No heavy lifting or strenuous activity for 6 weeks.
2) Resume walking at a leisurely pace right after surgery (e.g. 2 mph)
3) At 2 weeks, you can walk 2 miles at 2mph
4) At 3 weeks, you can walk 3 miles at 3mph
5) At 4 weeks, you can walk 4 miles at 4mph
6) At 5 weeks, you can jog 5 miles at 5mph
7) At 6 weeks, you can resume all activities, but listen to your body and use discomfort or tightness as a guide so you don't over do it.

I tell my patients that they can resume normal activities after bruising and tenderness are gone. Strenuous exercise should be avoided for 3 to 4 weeks. But follow your surgeons advice, each patient can be different.

Please consult your surgeon about your instructions for post operative activity.  If you have already been doing stationary bike and walking on the golf course, you could probably WALK on the treadmill.  I would not recommend jogging or running this early after breast reduction surgery.  At any rate, a quick call to your surgeon's office should clarify his instructions.

No matter what we as expert posters say, you NEED to verify this with your chosen operative surgeon. In my practice 3 weeks sounds about right. 

You need to contact your surgeon and find out what his/her exercise restrictions and protocol are for the immediate postoperative period for a breast reduction ... and then follow those recommendations.

For my breast reduction patients, they are allowed to get on a bicycle at 3 - 4 weeks and walking on a treadmill at 3 weeks and possibly starting to run at 4 - 6 weeks. There are several reasons for the restrictions with the ultimate purpose to minimize any complications and allow you to heal with the best scars possible.