Those who decide to undergo aesthetic treatment or surgery at LIVION usually do so out of a desire to feel completely comfortable in their own bodies again and to radiate their own vitality to the outside world. For many of our patients, an active lifestyle with regular exercise and targeted training is an integral part of their everyday lives. It is therefore only too understandable that one of the most frequently asked questions in our consultations is: When can I actually start training again?
After undergoing a procedure such as breast augmentation, liposuction or rhinoplasty, there is a strong motivation to get back into shape as quickly as possible. After all, you want to enjoy your new body in motion. But this is precisely where patience is the key to long-term success. If you try to do too much too soon, you not only risk pain, but in the worst case, you could jeopardise the aesthetic result. In this detailed guide, we explain why breaks after various treatments at LIVION are so important and how you can safely and effectively return to your everyday sporting activities.
Why taking a break from sport is medically necessary
To understand why we often prescribe a break of several weeks after surgery, we need to look at what happens in the body during healing. Every surgical procedure, but also intensive minimally invasive treatments such as radiofrequency microneedling with Morpheus8™ or laser-assisted tightening such as Endolift, trigger biological regeneration processes.
When you exercise, your blood pressure rises and your pulse quickens. The heart pumps more blood through the vessels, which can lead to secondary bleeding in a recently operated area. In addition, the heat generated during exercise causes the blood vessels to dilate, which can significantly increase swelling. Another critical issue is mechanical stress. Jolting movements when running or jumping, as well as tensing the muscles, can put strain on fresh sutures or cause implants to slip before they have grown firmly into the tissue. We want your healing process to be as undisturbed as possible so that scars remain fine and inconspicuous.
Breast augmentation and lift
After breast augmentation or breast lift surgery, the chest muscles are often directly or indirectly affected. If the implant has been placed under the muscle, this area requires a particularly long period of rest. In the first few weeks after surgery at LIVION, any strain on the upper body is absolutely taboo.
During the first two weeks, you should limit yourself to light walks. These promote blood circulation and lymphatic drainage without raising your blood pressure to dangerous levels. After about four weeks, you can usually start light training of the lower extremities again, for example on an ergometer at low resistance or with targeted exercises for the legs, as long as the upper body remains still.
You should only resume full strength training for the chest, intensive jogging or sports involving sweeping arm movements such as tennis or swimming after about six to eight weeks. A very important factor here is wearing a high-quality sports bra with strong support. This minimises breast movement and relieves pressure on the tissue. Listen to your body: if you feel any pulling or pressure, it is still too early.
Rhinoplasty
The situation is somewhat different with nose correction (rhinoplasty). Here, the focus is not on muscular strain, but on protecting the sensitive cartilage and bone structure. The nose remains unstable for many weeks after the operation.
During the first week, while you are still wearing a plaster cast, sport is completely prohibited. After the nose cast is removed, you will usually receive a tape bandage for another week. Even bending over or heavy lifting can increase pressure in the head and cause nosebleeds. From the third week onwards, light activities such as brisk walking are usually possible again.
You must be particularly careful with ball sports or martial arts. An accidental blow or impact to the nose can seriously jeopardise the results of rhinoplasty and necessitate further surgery. We therefore recommend avoiding sports with a high risk of contact or falls for at least three months. Caution should also be exercised when wearing sports glasses; these should not exert any pressure on the bridge of the nose.
Body contouring and liposuction
After liposuction or a tummy tuck, the body often feels fitter than it actually is. The biggest challenge here is that the skin needs time to reattach itself firmly to the underlying tissue.
After these procedures at LIVION, you will wear special compression garments for several weeks. It is essential that you continue to wear these when you resume sporting activities. We recommend moderate exercise for the first three weeks. From the fourth week onwards, you can usually slowly increase the intensity.
However, avoid exercises that create strong intra-abdominal pressure, such as heavy squats or intensive abdominal muscle training, for about six weeks. The tissue must first stabilise so that the contours become as smooth and even as we have planned.
Minimally invasive procedures
With our minimally invasive procedures, downtime is significantly shorter, but still present. After treatment with Morpheus8™, the skin is slightly reddened and swollen for a few days. You should refrain from strenuous exercise for about three to five days. Sweat can irritate the small puncture sites and increase the risk of infection. Heat also promotes swelling in the face.
After an Endolift, in which we use a laser fibre under the skin to tighten tissue, we recommend taking a break from exercise for a few days. As this procedure also destroys fat cells, the lymphatic system needs time to remove them without being overloaded by strenuous physical activity.
Special considerations for injections and Botox
Even after seemingly minor treatments such as Botox or hyaluronic acid injections for wrinkles, there are rules to follow when it comes to exercise. After a Botox treatment, you should refrain from exercise for at least 24 hours, preferably 48 hours. Increased blood flow and body heat during exercise could cause the toxin to spread to muscle areas where it is not supposed to work. This could lead to asymmetrical results or drooping eyelids.
With hyaluronic acid fillers, there is a risk that the material will be displaced by strong vibrations or pressure in the first two days. Give your face this short break so that the active ingredients remain exactly where they are supposed to take full effect.
