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Exercise After a Lipo Revision

Whether you are undergoing liposuction surgery for the first time or having corrective lipo-revision surgery, post-op instructions regarding exercise are the same, according to plastic surgeon Dr. Jeffrey A. Ditesheim. In order to avoid blood-clotting in the legs or lungs, you will be encouraged to get up and start walking around as early as four to five hours after surgery. In most cases, you can return to a normal desk job in two to three days.

  1. First Week After Surgery

    • For the first few days after surgery, moderate gentle exercise is essential for increasing blood flow and for helping the body return to normal homeostasis (body's natural state). Light aerobic exercise, such as walking around the block or shopping mall, along with nonstrenuous stretching is appropriate exercise for the first week. According to Dr. Ditesheim, during the early post-op recovery phase, it is essential for you to actively use your muscles, but not to stress or strain them.

    Two to Six Weeks Post Op

    • After about one week you can begin to increase your daily exercise. Starting at about 25 percent of your preoperative exercise routine, slowly increase your activity until you are back to your normal workout about six weeks after lipo-revision surgery. Therefore, if you were regularly lifting 10-pound dumbbells for bicep curls or overhead tricep extensions, start back with five-pound weights and half your normal repetitions. Perform squats and lunges without weights for the first few weeks.

      As your body heals and you feel stronger, gradually add dumbbells back into your lower-body exercises. The better shape you are in prior to lipo-suction surgery, the quicker your recovery time will be. Dr. Ditesheim also emphasizes the importance of strong core muscles for better recovery and best results. Light abdominal isometric contractions can be performed early on. As with other muscles in the body, slowly build back up to your pre-op abdominal routine.

    Full Recovery

    • Remember, liposuction recovery time varies from patient to patient. Your overall fitness level, the amount of lipo-revision surgery you had done and your surgeon’s postoperative care technique will determine how soon you resume your regular exercise routine.

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