Blog

Hi Dr. Hess,
I’m considering a tummy tuck and wondering if I should work out my stomach muscles beforehand, or wait until the surgery is complete.  Should I wait?
J.A.

Well, it depends on whether abdominal workouts are part of your normal routine.  If the surgery is in the near term, say under 4 weeks, then I would not advise you to start exercising your abdominal muscles.  It’s never a good idea to drastically change your routine before surgery,

If surgery is planned several months down the road, then some mild exercises to strengthen the abs may be just fine.  However, I think working the cardiovascular system is more important.

If you already have an exercise routine, then by all means continue it; make only the changes that you would normally make.  Overall, you don’t want to be dehydrated, sore or otherwise debilitated from the exercise.