Breast implants may seem delicate when you’re holding them in your hand—or when you hear about someone who had an implant leak or rupture within their body. But the silicone shell of implants can be remarkably tough, and can withstand forceful impacts. Women with breast implants have participated in contact sports like football and basketball, or high-impact activities such as skydiving, without damaging their implants.
Unfortunately, though, that strength doesn’t last forever. As your breast implants age, there’s a greater potential for weakening of the silicone shell, and for a forceful impact to cause a leak or bursting of the implant, and to surgery to remove (and replace) the damaged implant.
If you live a very active lifestyle, you should discuss that with your plastic surgeon prior to your surgery. He may recommend techniques and placement that could offer your breast implants a bit more protection from potential damage, such as placing the implant beneath the chest muscle.
Immediately after your breast implant surgery, most plastic surgeons recommend taking a month off from strenuous activity and heavy lifting, to allow your body to heal and to prevent complications like internal bleeding around the implants. But after your recovery is complete, you should be ready to participate in any activities you like.
You may find, however, that your breast implants may impact your ability to participate some activities, particularly activities that require movement close to your body. Sports like golf, tennis and swimming, and even everyday activities like cooking and crafts, could be more challenging for a little while, as you learn to adjust your movements. But once you’ve figured out how to change your golf swing or tennis serve to accommodate for your larger breasts, you’ll be good to go.
There are a few things that have quite a bit of potential for damaging your implants, and that should be avoided if at all possible—sharp objects and heat. So be sure that your doctors are aware of your breast implants before performing any procedures around your breasts (such as a needle biopsy), and avoid putting heating pads or hot compresses directly on your implants.
The bottom line? Once you’re through with the initial healing process after your breast implant surgery, there are virtually no limitations to the types of activities you can pursue. Just keep in mind that blunt force blows to your chest could eventually result in damage to your breast implants.