Knowing when you can exercise after breast surgery can be difficult; you may feel well enough to get moving, but that does not always mean that your body is ready for your normal workout. In this blog, we’ll look at what exercising after breast surgery can look like.
Remember that every procedure, body, and recovery period is different, and you should always consult with a clinician if you feel unsure.
Whether you have had a breast augmentation, breast reduction, a breast uplift, mastectomy or breast reconstruction, your recovery will depend on the procedure you have undergone, how your body is healing, and the advice given by your surgeon.
The good news is that staying active is an important part of recovery, the key is knowing when to move, when to increase intensity, and when to hold back.
Important: This is general guidance, not a substitute for advice from your surgeon or healthcare team. Your surgeon’s instructions should always take priority, particularly following reconstruction or more complex surgery.
Why is exercise after breast surgery important?
As important as rest is after breast surgery, gentle movement is equally important. Gentle movement helps to maintain mobility and circulation whilst gradually rebuilding energy. Going for a light walk can help to maintain mobility, without being too strenuous on the breast area.
Movement can also be important for the shoulder and arm on the side of the surgery. Breast surgery can affect shoulder movement and strength.
There is also an important distinction between gentle movement and exercise.
Walking around the house or to the shops is very different to returning to heavy weightlifting, running or high intensity exercise classes.
Exercise after breast surgery: a timeline
Week One to Two: Focus on gentle movement
The first couple of weeks is about allowing your body to recover from the procedure.
It is important you follow the movement and exercise instructions provided by your surgical team. Depending on your procedure, you may be encouraged to begin gentle arm and shoulder exercises shortly after surgery.
What exercise can I do after breast surgery?
Usually, with the agreement and recommendation of your surgical team, you can undertake short, gentle walks, light everyday movement, shoulder and arm mobility exercises, gentle breathing exercises where recommended, and getting up regularly throughout the day.
What exercise should I avoid after breast surgery?
So soon after your procedure is not the time for weight training, running, HIIT, push-ups, pull ups, vigorous stretching or any activities that could cause pain or pull on the surgical area, including heavy lifting.
Week Three to Four: Gradually increasing activity
By weeks three to four, many people can begin to do more of their normal daily activity, provided your recovery is progressing as it should.
Walking may have become easier, and you may find you have more energy too. At this point, you can begin to undertake light and lower impact exercises, including increasing the frequency or length of walks, rather than jumping straight back into structured exercise.
Feeling “better” and being “better” are two very different things, and feeling better may not be an indicator that tissues have completely healed.
For mastectomy patients, NHS guidance says that strenuous activity and heavy lifting should be avoided for around two to three weeks, although recovery can take longer and wounds may take around six weeks to fully heal.
For procedures such as breast augmentation, NHS guidance advises heavy lifting or strenuous exercise for at least a month.
There’s no universal ‘return to exercise after breast surgery’ date. Recovery times vary, so if you’re unsure, it’s always worth checking with your clinician.
Week Five to Six: Start rebuilding your routine
Around the four-to-six week point, some patients may be ready to reintroduce more structured exercise to their routine.
The type of surgery, and your individual recovery plan will differ too.
For breast reduction surgery, NHS guidance states that strenuous exercise, stretching and heavy lifting may need to be avoided for up to six weeks.
After breast reconstruction, restrictions can be more extensive. For example, some NHS reconstruction guidance recommends avoiding strenuous exercise and heavy lifting for six weeks, while certain reconstruction procedures have specific restrictions around arm movement and abdominal exercise.
Depending on your procedure and your surgeon’s advice, this could be the stage where you start to introduce longer walks, gentle lower body exercise, low-impact cardio, mobility work, gradually increasing everyday lifting and beginner level resistance exercise.
If you are returning to the gym, start considerably lighter than you were training before surgery.
Your first session should not be a test of what you can still do, it should be a test of how your body responds to movement.
Weeks Seven to Eight: Progress towards normal exercise
For a lot of procedures, this period represents an important milestone in recovery, but should still not be seen as a universal green light.
If your surgical area has healed, your pain has settled, and most importantly, your surgeon has cleared you for more strenuous activity, you can generally begin progressing towards your previous exercise routine.
Upper-body exercise deserves particular attention because movement involving the chest, shoulders and arms can place additional demand on healing areas.
Rather than immediately returning to exercises like bench press, dumbbell flyes, overhead/shoulder press, pull ups or heavy rows, you may be advised to begin with lighter resistance and controlled movements.
Progress gradually and pay attention to how the operated area feels during and after exercise.
Though frustrating, taking plenty of time dedicated to recovery will be more beneficial for you in the long run.
When can I run after breast surgery?
Running is a higher impact activity than walking, and can involve significant movement of the breasts and upper body.
The appropriate return point depends on your operation and recovery.
If you have been cleared for higher impact cardiovascular exercise, a sensible progression is walking to brisk walking, to walking/jogging in intervals, to gentle running to normal running.
Start with a light session and see how your body responds over the following 24 to 48 hours.
A properly supportive sports bra may also make returning to running more comfortable, but your surgeon will also advise you on what type of supportive garment is appropriate during your recovery.
When can I swim after breast surgery?
Swimming should generally wait until your surgical area has completely healed.
With both pool and open water swimming, the risk of infection can be higher if the area has not completely healed.
As always, consult with your surgeon before beginning swimming again.
What about yoga or pilates?
Gentle yoga and pilates can be useful ways of rebuilding mobility and strength, but some movements place considerable load through the arms, shoulder or chest.
When returning, modify your movements to avoid putting too much strain on the chest, arm or shoulder area rather than forcing yourself into your previous range of motion.
If a movement causes pain, pulling or excessive discomfort around your breast, chest or shoulder, stop and seek advice from your surgeon.
When can I return to weight training?
Weight training is one of the activities where individual surgical advice matters most.
The answer depends on the procedure, the extent of the surgery, whether reconstruction was performed and how well you are healing.
The key thing is to reintroduce load progressively.
Start with lighter weights than normal and fewer repetitions, instead of training to failure. Give yourself plenty of recovery time between sets, and gradually increase the load if your body tolerates it.
Remember, you will not be able to lift at your previous level, the goal is to gently get your body used to lifting weights again.
Your surgeon will be able to tell you when it is appropriate to resume specific chest and upper-body exercises.
Signs you may be doing too much exercise after breast surgery
Recovery is not linear and a “one size fits all” approach, having a more active day can leave you feeling more sore or tired afterwards.
However, worsening pain or problems with the surgical area should not be simply pushed through.
If you develop any kind of infection or healing problems, or if pain worses during exercise or continues afterwards, the best advice is to stop.
Seek medical advice if you are concerned about increasing pain, significant or worsening swelling, surgical area healing problems, or pain that does not settle after reducing activity, or anything else that you are concerned about.
There is no single recovery timeline that applies to everyone, a person recovering from a breast augmentation may receive different exercise restrictions to someone recovering from a breast reduction.
Even two people having the same procedure can recover at different rates.
Your surgical team will consider factors such as the procedure you had, your healing, your general health and any additional treatment when advising you about returning to exercise after breast surgery.
The most important thing is to reintroduce activity slowly, remember it is a slow, but beneficial process, and to follow your surgeon’s timeline.
