Some Q's (Recovery)

[BIGDT]

So here is my questions. I play pro ball, so it is extremely hard for me to have an adequate amount of time for recovery. I have heard a few people on this site say 10 days, 6 weeks, etc... I would say that I heal a tad bit faster or on average as everyone else. So how long would I need to wait and recover, before I hit the weights hard as well as get back into football training? 2 weeks seems like the maximum amount of time that I could take off.... Anyways, I've had this problem for a long time. The rest of my body actually looks good. I even dropped 50 pounds over the course of the season to the end of off-season.. Nothing really changed chest wise. Appreciation to who ever replies.

[DrBermant]

So here is my questions. I play pro ball, so it is extremely hard for me to have an adequate amount of time for recovery. I have heard a few people on this site say 10 days, 6 weeks, etc... I would say that I heal a tad bit faster or on average as everyone else. So how long would I need to wait and recover, before I hit the weights hard as well as get back into football training? 2 weeks seems like the maximum amount of time that I could take off.... Anyways, I've had this problem for a long time. The rest of my body actually looks good. I even dropped 50 pounds over the course of the season to the end of off-season.. Nothing really changed chest wise. Appreciation to who ever replies.

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.  More bruising, swelling, and tissue damage typically result in more pain, discomfort, and a longer time to heal.

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. 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. 

I treat many Professional Athletes and Competition Bodybuilders.  I prefer to individualize the recovery plan for each of my patients.  Such issues are best explored during a consultation with the doctor with who you are planning surgery.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Chest Sculpture

[emjay]

I just had my surgery a week ago, and I feel pretty good ... I had very little pain, and almost none after a couple of days, and just some soreness/numbness.  However, I can't imagine being back at the gym in full force a week from now.  I wouldn't even want to jog or jump right now, it would probably be very uncomfortable since my chest is still pretty sore.  The soreness feels like I had the most intense chest workout after a long layoff...don't think I was ever this sore from lifting.

I was told that I could start easing back into working out after three weeks.  Of course, my workout regimen is no where near a pro football player's, so I would imagine that to get back into that type of hard core training, it could take a little more time.  No to mention full contact drills...I am just hoping I will be able to play golf without any issues about 5-6 weeks from now when I go on vacation!

Good luck man, I hope you can figure it out.  And let me know if you have any other questions.