Your activity level may vary as the healing process progresses. However, the exercises that you do in the later stages of the healing process depend on your physical condition prior to the breast augmentation procedure. For example, if you trained for an hour or more each day and consider yourself especially fit, then you can generally expect to kick it back into high gear in about twelve weeks. If you had moderate amounts of exercise and wish to continue your current lifestyle, a few weeks of rest from intense exercises won’t affect you too much. Finally, if you enjoy a relatively sedentary lifestyle, consider light exercise such as walking in order to keep the blood flow going.

Aside from specific exercises for the Breast implants, you might want to know what types of exercises are safe during recovery. Need to know about 3 weeks post op breast augmentation exercises? How about leg exercises after breast augmentation?

The main concern with working out after a breast augmentation is overusing the pectoral muscles. Since the vast majority of breast implants are placed underneath the pectoralis major muscle, the muscle will need to heal from surgery before stress is placed on it through resistance training. The reason for this is the scar tissue, or capsule, that lines the pocket that holds the implant, begins forming immediately after surgery. Every woman who has breast implants has capsules lining the pockets. This is simply our body’s way of protecting us against an object (the implant) that it doesn’t recognize. The goal is to allow the capsule to form in such a way that it is undetectable. Therefore, during the initial four weeks after surgery, it is recommended that breast augmentation patients avoid overusing their pectoral muscles”.

In other words, you’ll want to avoid overworking the pecs so that your new implants will heal up properly without scars. Also, avoid lifting anything over ten pounds, carrying heavy purses or bags, and pushing or pulling heavy objects within the first four weeks after surgery. You’ll mainly wanna focus on lower-body exercises and light to moderate cardio. Around the four-week mark, you’ll most likely have a post-op visit where the doc will check you out and make sure everything’s healing up properly. If they give you the OK, you should be able to start doing arm and chest exercises.

The following is a week-by-week breakdown of how to perform general exercise throughout the healing process. Always consult with your surgeon before taking on high intensity exercises at any part of the healing process. Pain and discomfort are your body’s way of telling you to stop. If exercises that were previously within your capability suddenly prove too difficult, rest for a few more days and try again. This guide is meant for those who were moderately or highly physically active before surgery.

Week 1

During the first 48-72 hours, taking light walks can help with blood flow. This is important for preventing blood clots. Your body is still recovering and needs an adequate amount of rest so make sure to take plenty of naps. After the first three days, low intensity exercises such as walking on the treadmill and peddling a stationary bike are fine in moderation. As a precaution, try to avoid core, upper body, incline, holding on, and other high intensity exercises.

Week 2

In the second week, your energy levels will start coming back so you might feel like moving around a little bit. Still, be mindful about your body’s needs. If you feel any pain or discomfort, stop and wait a few more days before trying again. You should be able to do leg extensions, seated hamstring, seated abduction, and isolated legs. Upper body, core, holding on, and high intensity exercises should still be avoided.

Week 3-4

Between weeks 3 and 4, you might feel more comfortable moving around. You should still avoid upper body and high intensity work outs but light holding and lightly holding small weights in your hands should be ok in moderation. Be careful with core exercises. There’s no need to worry about loss of abdominal muscle definition at this point, especially if you were an avid gym girl before the breast augmentation procedure.

Week 5-8

During this time, your body has made a lot of progress. Feel good about yourself! You’re in the home stretch. Now you can do some light jogging, narrow back work, squats and lunges, bicep and tricep work, delt raises and presses, and glute kickbacks. Bench pushups, chest flies, pull-ups/hanging, and heavy tricep dips are still out, though.

Week 9+

After the ninth week, your body might feel completely normal again. You’ll be able to start high intensity exercises such as sprints, jump rope, and lunge jumps. Hanging and pull-ups should still be avoided, however.

Around week twelve, it should be safe to continue all previous high intensity workout routines

Specific exercise after breast augmentation

SHOULDER ROOLS

1. With your shoulders relaxed, slowly roll your shoulders
2. forward and then backward
3. As you roll them backwards, squeeze the shoulder blades together at the back
4. Take a deep breath as you do each shoulder roll. Start with 5 rolls every hour and gradually build up to 10 in the first 3 week

SHOULDER WINGS

1. Place your hands on your chest and raise your elbows out to the side
2. Limiting your range of motion, slowly lower your elbows down
3. Finish the exercise raising your elbows only high enough to feel a gentle stretch and no discomfort. Do this 10 times every hour in the first 3 weeks

Arm Circles

1. Stand with your arms relaxed and lift one arm out from your side
2. Holding your arm straight, slowly make small, counter-clockwise circles in the air. Use your shoulder muscles to make the movement, rather than your elbow or wrist
3. Gradually increase the size of the circles until the circles are as large as you can make them without causing discomfort. Repeat 10 times
4. Do this with the same arm, but this time clockwise. Repeat 10 times. Then switch to the opposite arm
5. Face a wall, standing with your feet six inches from the wall. Place both hands on the wall, keeping your elbows slightly bent
6. With your head and back held straight, inch your fingers up the wall until you feel a little tension.
7. Hold this position while you breathe slowly through your nose and out your mouth
8. Slowly climb your fingers back down the wall to your starting position. Repeat 10 times every 2-3 hours during 4-6 weeks of recovery
9. Lift your arms slowly over your head, straightening your arms and clasp your right hand on your left wrist
10. Once your arms are over your head, slowly bend your trunk to the right keeping your arms overhead
11. Return to the starting position. Slowly bend to the left with your left hand over your right wrist. Repeat 5 to 7 times every 2-3 hours during 4-6 weeks of recovery

Additional Recovery Tips

• Cold Therapy. Apply ice or a cold Pack over your breast for 10 to 20 minutes. Do this every 1 to 2 hours for the next 3 days or until the swelling goes down.
• Get Plenty of Sleep. To reduce swelling and pain, sleep upright, such as in a recliner, for the first 48 hours after the operation. After 48 hours, sleep on your back while lying in bed to enhance circulation. A body bolster can be used to add comfort while supporting the trunk and enhancing pressure reduction during the night.
• Mild Compression. Drainage tubes may be attached to your breast after surgery. To help secure the drainage tubes, you’ll have gauze bandages wrapped around your breasts. In addition, surgical bras can be used to apply mild pressure and reduce swelling in and around the breast tissue. The bra provides coverage that extends up the back and a few inches below the chest.
• Scar Massage. Using a mini massager,  massaging the scar helps break up scar tissue and improve circulation. The scar will become less visible and your range of motion may improve. Massaging the scar can also reduce pain and sensitivity to touch.