Lifting The Lid On Weight Limits After Surgery
Doctors perform close to 50 million surgeries yearly. These can be elective, cosmetic, or life-saving emergency procedures. Regardless of the purpose, surgeries require a recovery period. During recovery, the doctor will place several restrictions on the patient. One such restriction is the inability to lift objects between 10-20lbs, depending on the surgical technique. Setting a weight limit on lifting items sounds unnecessary or even unreasonable. However, this is important to ensure no future complications and higher success rates.
Should you lift that?
In almost all cases, the doctor will limit the weight of items patients can lift. This limit is not limited to lifting weights at the gym but everyday things at home and work. For open surgery, the patient cannot lift at least 10lbs for 6 weeks, on average. Sticking to this 10lb limit can be difficult. For instance, a baby just a few months old is much more than 10lbs. Other examples are a stool, a gallon of milk, or a large cast iron dish. At work, 10lbs could be a small stack of files. Postoperative lifting restrictions apply to many simple items. Therefore, most doctors recommend the patient receive help at home, at least for the first 4-6 weeks of recovery.
Why are there limits?
Lifting an item as little as 10lbs can cause stress on the surgical site, rupturing stitches. If the sutures dislodge before time, the patient may need to revisit the surgeon. Lifting too early disrupts the fascia that’s trying to reconnect, causing hernias that require repair. In some cases, ruptured stitches can invite bacteria, leading to infections. Depending on the site of the surgery, lifting can be more dangerous, increasing blood pressure and the changes of complications.
Minimally invasive surgery weight limits
Patients with minimally invasive procedures aren’t off the hook. These procedures use small incisions to access and perform the surgery. While the healing time is faster due to the minor cuts, the patient still needs healing time. Based on the surgical location, patients can lift heavier, limited to 20lbs within the first 2-3 weeks of recovery. Some surgeons will suggest different timeframes and weight stipulations based on patient health, weight, and type of surgery. Although there is more leeway, patients should still practice care to heal as best as possible.
How can you heal safely?
The goal is to get back to normal activities as quickly as possible. However, lifting something that feels even remotely heavy can dislodge stitches, so there is no harm in being overly cautious. The standard rule is a 10lb limit for open surgeries and 20lbs for minimally invasive surgeries. How long the patient has to go without lifting will depend on the surgery and the patient health. Since this is hard to gauge, get help from a friend or family member during recovery.
