In the first week after tummy tuck surgery, Dr. Patronella recommends patients take short walks of 10 minutes, gradually increasing this to one mile, twice daily by days 10 to 14 days after the procedure.
On day 3, activity is encouraged but should be limited. Any activity involving lifting and carrying, driving, exercise, smoking, and drinking alcohol should be avoided. A drain is a device that directs excess fluid away from the incision and out of the body.
Walking after tummy tuck surgery is important; each day following your procedure, you should walk a little bit longer and a bit farther, to increase your strength and facilitate healing.
Don't overexert yourself after the Tummy Tuck procedure
You can take a short walk after a few days and light exercise after a few weeks. The more you are active, the more prompt the recovery. Staying active will help to reduce swelling, minimize the risk of blood clots and make you feel better too.
If you have a “mini tummy tuck” with a smaller incision, you'll likely need between one and three weeks of elevated sleeping. On the other hand, full-tummy tuck patients require about four weeks, with six weeks of limiting any strenuous exercise or lifting.
Your belly will be sore and swollen for the first week after surgery. You may need to wear a compression garment as you heal. The skin on your stomach will be mostly numb for several weeks to months. Feeling will return slowly.
Answer: Returning to Driving After Tummy Tuck
As a general rule it takes about two weeks before you can straighten up due to the significant abdominal tightness. Therefore, you shouldn't even consider driving for the first two weeks. After two weeks, common sense should be used.
Will sneezing or coughing hurt my tummy tuck results? Sneezing, coughing and laughing in the days following surgery should not hurt your results (although it might be slightly uncomfortable). Your sutures are designed to withstand normal muscle movement and they will not come out if you sneeze, laugh or cough.
Tissue damage.
During a tummy tuck, fatty tissue deep within your skin in the abdominal area might get damaged or die. Smoking increases the risk of tissue damage. Depending on the size of the area, tissue might heal on its own or require a surgical touch-up procedure.
Some shortness of breath is not uncommon following a surgery such as tummy tuck. Bedrest, immobility, pain meds, etc. can attribute to some changes in activity tolerance. However, severe shortness of breath coupled with lower leg pain could be a sign of serious concern such as a blood clot.
Answer: Resuming house chores after tummy tuck
I recommend waiting two weeks before any type of strenuous activity such as house cleaning. Waiting this period of time helps to reduce the chances of post-operative bleeding and swelling. You need to give your body a chance to settle in and heal.
Answer: Resting Position After Tummy Tuck
Most doctors are going to want you in a "lawnchair" or reclined position for the first week or so after surgery. I provide an electric lift chair for my patients at our overnight facility, and they can also easily be rented by the month from many places.
Answer: Postop fatigue for number of days after abdominoplasty is common. After surgery the body investors energy in healing the operative site. Patients often feel listless and require excess sleep. Sleep is much as you wish but you should but periodically to exercise the extremities.
Surgeons often recommend sleeping on your back while recovering from a tummy tuck, but you may be able to sleep on your side a few weeks after surgery. When you sleep on your back, you should elevate yourself with pillows. This can help make sleeping on your back more comfortable and easier to get used to.
Answer: Light household activity permitted after abdominoplasty as soon as the patient feels comfortable.
Light housekeeping includes tasks such as dusting open surfaces; sweeping and mopping floors (damp mops – small areas and hard surface floors); vacuuming around furniture; wiping down counters; washing and putting dishes away; cleaning bathrooms and kitchens; taking out the trash; changing sheets and making the bed; ...
Removing drains too soon may result in fluid buildup, seroma, and the need for fluid aspiration and/or a second surgery. Generally speaking, most patients who require tummy tuck drains are able to have them removed after about 1 – 3 weeks.
Cough and Sneeze Carefully
It turns out that if you have an abdominal incision, you can do some serious harm to your incision if you cough or sneeze the wrong way. A new incision isn't very strong and a violent sneeze can actually cause a surgical incision to open.
Although patients may feel as though they have torn open an abdominal suture, the truth is that most coughing and sneezing will not generate enough force to do so. Furthermore, an actual suture tear would be immediately followed by a considerable increase in pain. Although the risk of any serious injury is minimal, Dr.
Depending on the surgery you had, support your incision firmly with your hands or a small pillow before you try to cough. Breathe in deeply and cough firmly. If you cough up some mucous, clear it into a tissue. Repeat the coughing until there isn't any more mucous.
Answer: Activity after a Tummy Tuck
If you do too much too early you put yourself at risk for seromas, hematomas, or incision separation. Be careful and follow the instructions of your surgeon.
Can I bend over after tummy tuck? In general, you need to keep a straight abdomen with slight bending while recovering after your tummy tuck. You should avoid bending over too much (e.g. to pick up your child) for the first 4-6 weeks after your abdominoplasty.