How soon can you start with heavy lifting again after surgery?
I have a job that includes heavy lifting. And the gym. But that I can adapt to the situation. But my job is what it is.


Tony

With DI it takes 6 weeks for the scars to fully heal. Even then the scars will continue to stretch until a year after surgery

Just to be sure you could mention the amount -more or less - of weight you carry to your surgeon.

I heard it depends on the procedure you have and of course on how your healing goes.

I heard about 3-4 wk recovery time minimum at least before you start using those muscles for heavy lifting. Maybe longer. Since I do fairly strenuous stuff with my arms myself I'll be asking the surgeon next week about this.

It's also going to depend on the condition of the wounds. If you're got any sort of temporary complication like fluid or swelling or resuturing going on, it's probably going to extend the recuperation time

Ok. Thank you.

I lift about 7-30 kg. (15 - 66 Pounds) Several times/day.

I'll talk to the doctors when it is time.


Tony

First few days after no more than about 5-10 lbs I would say... you can feel the tension on the wounds and/or the pain. No sudden movements, no major torsion of the area (i.e. no sleeping on your side either) and reaching up higher than your head to lift any sort of weight not advisable. Just getting up from a sleeping position is difficult in day 1-3 without being careful. I seriously doubt you should lift the sort of weights you mentioned for at least a couple of weeks if having DI.

my job requires me to lift heavy things up to at least 400 lbs. i had top surgery and i didn't even go back to work for at least 4 weeks. when i got back, i was still lifting pretty lightly (maybe 10 lbs). i couldn't even image going back to work earlier than 4 weeks and it feels too tight on your chest if you're trying to lift things. even like sleeping is weird, going to the bathroom is weird, showers are weird. you just don't have the mobility.