Question:
How soon after surgery are you allowed to go in a swimming pool for mild exercise?

I am one week post op and would like to go and walk in the swimming pool. Is it all right to get my stomach that wet?    — judyc7 (posted on July 1, 2003)

July 1, 2003
hiya! i went into the ocean at about 1 1/2 weeks post op and in the pool at 3 weeks post op. i think there is more concern over using the stomach muscles than getting the incision wet since you can shower. (do you still have a drainage tube in? if so, i'd check with my doctor) i didn't have one in after i left the hospital. good luck, kate
   — jkb

July 1, 2003
My surgheon said not till the incisions are TOTALLY healed that is sealed. To minimize the chance of infection. For sure dont go swimming with a drain tube still in place, contaminated water could leak into your body cavity. Do ask your doc.
   — bob-haller

July 1, 2003
When I went to see my doctor for my 10 day post-op check-up, my doctor said I could swim! I've been swimming and exercising in the pool ever since!
   — Terri G.

July 1, 2003
I asked my Dr. the same question when I was still in the hospital and 2 day post op. He told me I could go swimming in about a week. Well I jumped the gun a little and went swimming a couple days early and haven't had any problems.
   — jen091172

July 1, 2003
My doctor allows patients to go into a pool after the steri strips come off, which is at 3 weeks. He takes the staples out at 2 weeks then he puts the steri strips over the incision and I was told to take them off one week later. Hope this helps.
   — ChristineB

July 1, 2003
BTC standards are no tub baths for 2 weeks so I would say that this goes for submerging yourself in a pool. The reason for this is that the wound needs to be completely closed before getting in to water that could potentially get in the wound and cause an infection. Now, I know there's chlorine in a pool that should kill anything, but you know that kids pee in the pool (who knows, maybe some adults too!) and I wouldn't want pee-pee-pool water on my incision if it wasn't totally closed and healed over. Now, for actually swimming in water that's over your head, they say 6 weeks. I was walking around a high school pool at 4 weeks and felt fine. At 5 weeks my little float thing I had with me got loose and went about a foot over the deep end. I figured I could tread water with my arms and retrieve it.....WRONG! I couldnt' believe how hard it was to keep afloat in water over my head at 5 weeks post-op without straining too hard to tread water. Didn't mean for this to be so long winded.
   — Lynette B.