Do you wear your binder during exercise post TT (once cleared by surgeon)

Hi all,

I'm 3 months out and am officially cleared for exercise. I haven't done a whole lot yet but am feeling ready to tackle more. Before surgery I did a pretty intensive weight lifting regime, plus cardio. Now I'm aiming to ease back in. My friend is studying for personal trainer certification and is hosting boot camps on Sunday mornings. I want to go this coming Sunday. I know now that when I walk at lunch with the binder on, I get  itchy afterward if I've sweated at all. At the same time, I feel very vulnerable when I'm NOT wearing the binder so my thinking is that I should wear it for exercise. Especially for a boot camp type workout. My friend knows I will be limited in what I can do (no big core stuff yet) and I'm going to go on what feels comfortable vs. not comfortable. To add insult to injury (or the reverse) I have a shoulder injury that limits me, so I'm being very careful of that too. I'm just wondering if you wore your abdominal binder when you began heavy-duty exercising again or not.

Thanks!
Meri

Just make sure that the doc has cleared you for abdominal work.  I was cleared for everything but that first - I had to wait an additional month I believe for ab work.  I wore spanx type garments the first few weeks just to feel safe although I wore them all of the time not just during exercise.  My ab work was my first plastics work, so I didn't feel comfortable being 'unprotected'.  You will probably break that sweat faster, but overall feel more comfortable and enjoy the workout more.  Be careful and ease into it.

I should add that I am NOT cleared for ab work yet, but anything else goes. I'd been doing a lot of compound work prior to surgery so haven't gone back to that yet, but I need to start doing something. I'm signed up for the Spartan at Fenway in November and need to start training as much of me as possible for that. My friend (the personal trainer-in-training) has offered to buy my spot if I don't think I'm ready, so that's good. I can train cardio and everything BUT core for now. Core won't be cleared until late October. So I have a big decision to make. I'm doing this boot camp tomorrow morning (my friend knows my shoulder and ab limitations) and hoping for the best. I will probably wear my binder because I feel so much better with it ON. I've got another to change into afterward. Just wondering if anyone else wore the binder for workout sessions...

Congrats on your new Tummy!

I had my TT in December and by the 8th week was released for normal workouts.  Now, I don't lift mind you, but I do run.  The first time out I ran a 5k without my binder and the next day did a 1hr Zumba routine, all was good no pain and no jiggling!  If you are cleared by your Dr. for exercise and they cleared you from your binder, I would try one workout and see.  If you don't like it or it is uncomfortable then put it back on for a bit and try again. 

Good Luck

Tracy

Yes, I would definitely wear a binder if after TT or Body Lift and/or spandex for up to 6months. You should feel more secure with this when you exercise. This is not necessary for other parts like the arms.

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Thank you Dr. Domanskis. I did wearing a binder for exercise and felt much more comfortable with it on that I'm sure I would have otherwise. I wear one daily because it's just become more comfortable that way, although it always feels good to take it off for a while too. At some point in the healing process, I am sure there will come a time when I'm fine whether it's off or on, and that's when I'll know it's time to wean off it. For now, it still provides the support and help with swelling I obviously still need. And definitely for exercise. Helps remind me to take it easy with anything that activates the core. :)

Hi - 

I had a TT in June.  I was wearing my binder for quite some time for workouts.  Now I am using compression garments instead.  As you gain a little more strength, you can try and switch to the compression garments.  The compression garment gives me the feeling of security, but also allows me better movement for things like Zumba. 

Also, I am still wearing compression garments regularly and not just for exercise.  I am still swelling and it helps immensely. 

Good luck!

Sorry to hijack this thread but what is the difference between a binder and a compression garment?

It is my understanding that they both offer compression.  The binder is what they gave me right after surgery.  It was sort of this huge encompassing thing that wrapped around the area and sort of held me all together during recovery.  The garments that I am referring to are like the Flexees or Spanx that you can buy at Kohl's or Macy's, etc.  A lot of women use those on a regular basis to just make themselves look "firmed up".  However, I was directed to get those as they work as compression garments.  For me, it is easier to wear that under my clothes at work as opposed to the binder.  My binder's also became too large as I healed and the swelling came down.  

I hope that answers your question.  I did consider buying a smaller binder through Amazon, but decided that I would stick with the Spanx stuff.  

Yes thank you.

I had a compression garment for the first week and a half and when I went in for my check up she gave me a new garment because, like you, it was too large and not giving me enough compression. What I have now is just a different type but I would still consider it a compression garment.