Exercising After You've Gone Under (the Knife, That Is)

Rules of the game

Anyone who's ever had surgery, an injury or a long illness -- and is an exercise aficionado -- will tell you how hard it is to not exercise during their recuperation. You feel your muscles slacken and middle widen, and you probably feel depressed. While laying off your workout is often necessary so the body can heal properly, experts are now advising that people who have had surgery get up and get moving as soon as they can. "The thing you really want to eliminate is long periods of bed rest," says Michael Joyner, an anesthesiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, who also works in integrative physiology. "Three weeks of bed rest is equal to 30 years of acute physiological aging," Joyner adds. But take it slow -- walks instead of runs. Here are some tips for specific conditions.

Child birth

While waiting six weeks to exercise post-baby delivery has generally been the recommendation, experts now say that women who had a healthy vaginal delivery can start exercising as soon as they feel ready -- just don't overdo it. Exercise that is too intense may cause an accumulation of lactic acid, producing a sour taste that could disagree with the baby. "Even carrying the kid is a good workout," Joyner says. "I don't think anyone was hurt by going out for a brisk 30 to 40 minute walk after a kid." Women who have had C-sections should probably wait six weeks until they resume exercise, he adds.

Heart attack or bypass surgery

The heart is, of course, the central organ affected by exercise, so if it's been injured or sick, take extra caution in reusing it -- and don't start exercising on your own, says Leslie Cho, a cardiologist and the director of the Cleveland Clinic's Women's Cardiovascular Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Patients should instead participate in cardiac rehabilitation programs, which are covered by insurance. Bypass patients should generally wait four to six weeks before starting rehab, but other patients -- such as those who've had minor heart attacks -- can start a couple weeks afterwards. The standard programs involve exercising three times a week for 12 weeks. "It's nutrition and behavioral medicine too," Cho says. "There's great data that patients who participate live longer and have fewer repeat cardiac events."

General surgery

The body takes a hit during any kind of surgery, from an appendectomy to more invasive procedures like a heart transplant. The immediate risk in resuming exercise too soon following these procedures is that you could tear a suture line. "Follow the guidelines" for specific procedures, Joyner says. "If you lift heavy stuff, it's a bad thing for the abdomen, and if you've been operated on in the pelvic area, you may not want to ride a bike." But otherwise, the general rule is to move -- if not exercise -- as soon as your doctor or nurse tells you that you can, he adds, because doing so can prevent blood clots and atrophying of the heart. "People think that our nurses and respiratory therapists are slave drivers. I warn patients that we're doing this for a reason. The more people can comply, the better off they are."

Cancer therapy

Chemotherapy -- and to a lesser extent, radiation -- seriously tax the body, but exercising as soon as you feel ready after treatments can make you feel much better, Joyner says. "Anything you can do to help people maintain their physical status while they have cancer" is encouraged, especially to help their mood, Joyner says. The American Cancer Society says exercise during and after treatments can improve both physical functioning and quality of life, specifically by boosting self-esteem and lowering anxiety and fatigue. The ACS also sets certain precautions: Cancer patients with weak immune systems should avoid gyms until their white blood counts are normal, and those getting radiation should avoid pools, since the chlorine may irritate the radiated skin. Yoga is a preferred activity among both cancer patients and survivors, for rebuilding muscles strength and helping overcome disease-related anxiety and depression.

Colds and the flu

Unless the virus has caused heart damage, you can start exercising after a minor illness as soon as you feel ready, Cho says. For things such as colds and flu viruses, that generally means after one or two weeks, but even earlier if you feel ready. Sweating has a cleansing effect and can help flush out viruses, but go easy if your lungs have been involved, since you're likely to be more short of breath than usual. Also, avoid exercising when you have a fever, Joyner adds.

Kristine Crane is a Patient Advice reporter at U.S. News. You can follow her on Twitter, connect with her on LinkedIn or email her at kcrane@usnews.com.