does swelling prevent exercise?

Thanks!

Keep in mind, I'm a race walker.  My running is only limited to a mile here and there per my orthopeadic's orders.  I had my right knee ACL replaced in '09 and he specifically told me that if I had to see him in less than 3 years because I blew it out he wouldn't be happy.  He's already told me that I need bilateral knee replacements but he wants me to wait until after I'm 50 (so at least 8 years).  He's cleared me to do races as long as the majority of it is walking.  Running he wants me to limit.

I also know well enough to listen to my body when I'm training.  If it hurts, I assess what is hurting and how it is hurting and adjust.  Although I had my lbl 5/28, I cannot do my full routine of abs.  I can do some, but the majority of it I'm not ready for yet.  As much as I love working out and training in general, I'm not going to risk the work my ps did.

He like my ortho, would not be happy if I undid his work.  But both guys know that I am extremely driven so they work with me and make sure I am clear about parameters (which is why I asked about trapeze school.)

Swelling doesn't prevent exercise but it can make it more difficult in my experience. I am almost 8 weeks out from a bl/br and brachioplasty. I started running/walking and weights last week and I find that my arms and my sides swell and hurt afterwards. I have scaled back a little and am doing less. No more running and no more weights for now. It may be that the combination of long work shifts (11 hours) plus the an hour of exercise is just asking too much of my body right now.

Good luck and your experience may differ.

Ole

This is really helping me get a more realistic expectation.  I will have about 9 weeks before I have to start training in order to be ready for marathon day in April.  I will just have to prepare myself that depending on how my body is healing it might not be an option for April 2011.  There will be other marathons.

The swelling in my upper thighs made biking and using the elliptical difficult (but not impossible) for several months after my TT.  It had cleared up enough by about 3 months out that it wasn't a problem... just a nuisance some days.   Honestly, my tummy was so tight and sore for so long, and because I had the necrotic wound, I didn't feel like exercising, anyway... so I know if I had been more motivated that I COULD have returned to exercising sooner than I did.

Lora

 Swelling hasn't prevented my joggng -- but there is a huge consequence for me afterwards -- more swelling, sometimes for days.

After discussing this with my doctors, I now do little- or non-impact exercise swimming.  I'm fifty, so jogging is also joint-unfriendly, for me.  So, disappointed though I* was, I had to change tacks.

My true love is biking.  I only tolerate running.  I'm a survivor of the bombing in OKC so running the marathon is more of a personal thing because I do it to honor my friends who were killed.  So, if I can't run it, I will live.  Now biking is another thing.....I would be crushed if I wasn't ready to bike in April.  Swimming is something I just recently picked up in order to do triathlons so maybe I will just plan to focus more on swimming.