If you are planning to get a breast augmentation surgery done or have recently gone through one, then you might want to know what post-op care you need. Most surgeries involving replacements and implants require certain changes in your daily exercise regime for a healthy recovery.
Physical constraints post-op
First, let’s focus on what kind of exercises or physical activity you must avoid. Even though a breast augmentation surgery is a cosmetic one, the fact remains that it’s still a surgery. Give your body time to heal naturally. Allow your body to relax. Let your breast muscles and pectoral muscles (under which the implants are placed) get used to the implants which the body treats as foreign objects during the first few weeks.
Any form of rigorous exercise or weight lifting must be completely avoided for the first 6-8 weeks to prevent:
- Abnormal/deformed looking breasts
- Implant rupture
- Infection due to implant leakage
- Stretch marks
- Stressing and pressurizing the pectoral muscles
- De-alignment of the breast implants
- Correction surgery due to displaced implants
Once the swelling and pain are completely gone you can get back to your normal exercise and gym routines, after consulting your doctor.
Exercises after breast augmentation
Even though physical activity has to be minimal, there are certain breast implant exercises that you must indulge in for the following reasons:
- To avoid capsular contracture. It is a condition when the natural capsule or scar tissues formed around the implant during the healing process harden. This tightening reduces the space for the implant inside the breast which can lead to abnormal firmness and discomfort in the breast along with a deformed look. Capsular contracture is said to be the biggest reason for the failure of a breast augmentation surgery. But this can be prevented if the post-op breast implant exercises are adhered to strictly.
- To assist the implants to settle or drop into the pockets comfortably and naturally.
- To make the insertion pockets spacious and roomier for the implants.
- To assure soft and natural looking smooth breasts.
Post-op breast exercise timeline
The frequency of your breast implant exercises is different for the recovery stage and the post-recovery stage. Ideally, during every exercise session, each position should be held for 10 seconds and repeated 10 times.
- Recovery stage: The exercises or massages have to be repeated several times a day during the first 6 to 8 weeks of the surgery. After every 1 hour is ideal.
- Post- recovery stage: The exercises must be done 3 times a day till the implants gel with the body.
Three main exercises after breast augmentation
These exercises are very easy to do and can be done independently without the help of any objects or equipment. The main objective of these breast implant exercises or massages is to help the implants to settle in freely without any constraints as if they are a part of the body itself. This can happen only when the muscles around the implant are allowed to sooth and relax so that they soften up to make place for the implants to seep in while keeping the original shape of your breasts intact. Remember, these exercises are to be done very gently. Also, make sure you exercise your implants and not your breasts.Here’s how you perform the three vital exercises:
- The downward push exercise
Place your right hand on the left breast just below the nipple area. Now roll up or pull up the breast. It should be done in such a manner that while you roll up your fingers should touch your rib (above the breast)and you feel the pressure of the implant moving downwards. Ensure that while you roll up your fingers should eventually be above the implant and not on it. Repeat this with your left hand on your right breast.
This is essential in the initial days after the surgery. Since the breast implants are treated as foreign objects in the beginning, the implants are not completely behind the breasts. The implants are a bit above the breasts; giving the breasts a high raised look. That is why the downward push exercise is crucial. It trains your breast muscles to slowly loosen up and open up to allow the implants to drop in to their ideal position.
- The upward push exercise
Hold your right breast from the bottom with the tips of the thumb and the fingers of your left hand and push it upwards. Repeat the same for the left breast using the right hand.
This exercise becomes even more important during the post-recovery period. With time and due to gravity the implants tend to sink downwards. This can cause the breasts to sag. The upwards push exercise prevents this from happening.
- The cleavage exercise
Crossing your hands across your chest, place your left hand at the outer side of the right breast and your right hand at the outer side of your left breast. Now push the implants inwards i.e. towards the centre.
This exercise is meant to perfect your cleavage and to avoid the implants from sliding towards the side of your breasts.
Other helpful breast augmentation exercises
- The circular motion exercise: Hold your left breast from the bottom with your left hand. Now with the fingertips of your right hand, massage the upper portion of the breast. Place your right hand on the outer line of the implant and massage in a circular motion while moving from the middle line to the outer side of the breast. Repeat the same with your right breast. This is recommended to be done especially for the first week after the surgery.
- The maintenance exercise: This is advised to be repeated twice a day for 30 seconds during the post-recovery phase. It includes – pushing the breasts up and holding them and pushing them inwards and holding them.
Every woman heals and recovers in a different manner depending on her body type. That is why it is necessary that you consult your breast augmentation surgeon before doing any of the aforementioned exercises. For the best guidance consult the top cosmetic surgeons of the country only at Apollo Cosmetic Clinic.
