Walking /riding subway 2 days after surgery?

[cube]

Is it ok for me to walk around alot 2 days after my surgery. Also wanted to ride the train. Think it will be ok??

[Grandpa Bambu]

Should be dude... 

GB...

[headheldhigh01]

anything that's not going to involve strenuous chest muscle use.  if you have to stand on the subway instead of sitting, find a divider you can lean back against instead of hanging on to a pole! 

[Grandpa Bambu]

if you have to stand on the subway instead of sitting, find a divider you can lean back against instead of hanging on to a pole!

Good point HHH... 

GB...

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Yes, you should be able to walk (slowly), ride subways, go to the movies, etc within several days after surgery.  There is usually some soreness which lasts about 48 hrs or so -- I have  many patients who do well simply on Tylenol.

I would not do any strenuous activities, however, for several weeks (speak to your surgeon).

Dr Jacobs

[DrBermant]

Is it ok for me to walk around alot 2 days after my surgery. Also wanted to ride the train. Think it will be ok??

Recovery after surgery depends on the original problem, what was done, injury during surgery, bruising, skill of your surgeon, after care, how you heal and other factors. I prefer techniques that typically have less bruising, less swelling, less injury which all help with healing.  That is how I can put up images of my patients so soon after surgery.  Check out typical Bruising, Swelling, and Recovery for my Gynecomastia Surgery.

Although I do not tear the muscle, the recovery is sort of like a sprain you can get back when your body lets you, not before.  The body does not heal on a time schedule.  Push it too far too soon and you will set yourself back, cause new injury and swelling, and slow recovery.  My patients are typically walking around comfortably with very little to no pain medication the day after surgery.  The walking is fine, bouncing is not comfortable. We see many patients from around the world and quite a few turn a trip to Virginia into a vacation. Those who have discussed trips to Washington, D.C. explain that they had no problems sightseeing the entire day. However, climbing up the Washington Monument was too much bouncing.    Using a keyboard is easy even the day of surgery. Putting the arms up over the head, now that is putting injured tissues under strain. 

Travel by car, train, or plane is no problem for my patients. I certainly would not recommend the bouncing into people for subway travel for my patients who vacation or return to bigger cities like New York.  Driving a car should be done when comfortable and not needing the heavy duty oral pain medication. Since my patients typically find plain Tylenol enough, most are able to drive themselves later the day of surgery.  A train or plane have fewer limitations, unless you are the one flying the plane or operating the train.

I prefer to individualize the recovery plan for each of my patients.  Such issues are best explored with your doctor.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Chest Sculpture