Exercise post-extended abdominoplasty

Hi everyone,

I'm almost 8 weeks out and have been cleared for most exercise. Taking a beginner yoga class tomorrow night to get warmed up (aiming for the Spartan race at Fenway in November, so have to take it slow and easy, but steady to get ready!). Did you wear your binder while exercising, or leave it off? I have two, so if I get a bit sweaty in one, I have another to wear, but I wonder about the false sense of support it provides. Would it be better to leave it off and let my muscles do more of the work, or would it be better to leave it on and take it off mid-class if I feel it's too restrictive? Thoughts please?

Thanks!

I personally think you would be better off. Not doing any exercise at 8 weeks out,not even yoga. I think you aRe asking for incision openings stretching this early. 

I realize your ps may have cleared you for it,but I would be very careful if I was you. This is the time ppl get to feeling good. And get ****y about their recovery and cause themselves an incision opening 

Thank you very much for your reply. I did end up going. It was a very easy class and I took it REALLY easy. If it felt tight, I either modified or didn't do it. The shoulder with the rotator cuff injury actually bothered me more than the abdomen...although I really was surprised at HOW out of shape I am after lying around and just walking for so long. I found my muscles shaking with the effort to sit upright in criss-cross position (so I modified, lol). It felt wonderful to move again and I think I may go back for next Monday's class. You are absolutely right about feeling better at this time but I really don't want to overdo because I know myself and know that I really could do some damage if I'm not very careful. And I don't want any more complications than what I've had. Walking and very gentle yoga are going to be it for me for a while. Couldn't even do shavasana properly because my abdomen felt too tight to lie flat on a hard floor, so I bent my knees. I might use the bicycles at the gym at work...see how those feel. If they are comfortable, then I can add them for now. The strength training I miss so much is going to have to wait--the doc did caution about core work and the lifting and classes I was used to are mostly compound movements. I don't expect to be fully training for the Spartan until October, so will not be properly ready, but heck, I'm gonna try. :)

Congrats on your TT.  I am 7 months post op from a TT w/ muscle tightening.  I was cleared at 7 weeks to go back to full workouts.  I ran a 5K the day after I was given the OK.  I felt great.  Of course no where near my best time but I did it.  I was told I didn't have to wear the binder if I didn't want to.  I chose not to just to see if I could do it.  My stomach didn't move and I didn't feel the jiggle that I used to before.  It was awesome.  I am now 8 weeks out from my inner thigh lift and ran a total of almost 9 miles last week and another 4 miles today.  I am so excited about the changes I have had so far and I have followed the Dr's orders to a T.  I am training for the 16K (10 mile) Paris-Versailles run in Paris, France in September.  I am not sure if I will be able to beat last years time (since I wasn't cleared before training should have started).  But I am excited to run without all the extra skin bouncing and causing pain.  

Good luck to you and congrats again on your new body!