How Soon After Otoplasty Can You Exercise And Play Sports?

Sports and other forms of exercise are important. They benefit a body not only physically, but mentally and emotionally too. Simply put, putting your body through its paces feels good, and can be an important part of leading a full, happy life. Healthy body, healthy mind, as the saying goes.

So much so that a lot of people have a hard time going without it. Dr. Solomon has heard this before. One of the most common questions he gets about the recovery process from an otoplasty operation – a cosmetic surgery procedure to reshape large or malformed ears – is how soon after a patient can grab a racquet, lace up his or her runners, hit the links for a round or two of golf or simply be back at the gym working out.

But it’s important to remember that otoplasty…

While it can be done on an outpatient basis and generally takes only half an hour per ear to perform, is still a significant operation for a body to go through. In it, incisions are made, ear cartilage will be reshapen and repositioned, while sutures will then be put in place to keep the affected tissues and cartilage in their new position.

This isn’t something the human ear can recover from in a matter of hours, or even days. The swelling and discomfort of an ear after the operation is normal for patients to experience. On the first day after, the ears will be bandaged in soft dressings. After that, for roughly the following week a headband must be worn. This is vital, and done to keep the ears in their new place, and ensure there isn’t undue tension or pressure on the ear or ears operated on.

This last point can’t be understated.

You don’t want your newly reshapen ear to, for example, be accidentally pulled. This can be painful and very damaging. So, for sports fans and exercise buffs, Dr. Solomon advises you to plan to go without strenuous physical activity for the first two weeks after the operation. This will ensure a patient’s new ear or ears isn’t put at risk. Don’t worry, though. Once the headband does come off, and the ears fully recovered, the results from the surgery can be dramatic, and provide a big boost to self-confidence.