Patients should wait one to two weeks after their breast augmentation before lifting their arms above their heads. A good rule of thumb is if it’s uncomfortable or hurts, don’t do it.
You can resume work a week or two after your surgery, but attempt to raise your arms slowly at first. You shouldn’t lift anything until at least one week after surgery, at which point you can begin to lift light items, moving on to heavier items as long as it doesn’t cause discomfort.
Feeling tightness is normal, and you’ll wear a sports bra to make recovery more comfortable until you are ready to switch back to your regular bra (usually after about eight weeks). Keep in touch with your surgeon to get their opinion on when and how to advance your level of activity.