How Long After A Vasectomy Can You Workout

A vasectomy can be a life-changing procedure that helps you take control of your reproductive health. Like any surgery, however, it takes time to fully heal after the fact. Anyone used to staying active will naturally wonder how long after a vasectomy they’ll need to wait before they can work out again. Let’s break down your post-surgery recovery timeline to see how much you should pace yourself before getting back to 100%.

What to Expect in the First Week After a Vasectomy

While vasectomy is generally considered a minor procedure, you’ll still want to take it easy during that first week of recovery. The first two days are the most crucial, and you should spend ample time resting instead of worrying about hitting the gym. After that, you can gradually return to your normal activities, but be cautious not to overexert yourself. If you need to exercise, keep it light and avoid bending, squatting, or otherwise pressuring your lower areas.

When Can I Run Again? A Week-by-Week Guide to Cardio

As mentioned, you should be very careful early on in your recovery. Take at least the first two days off completely before attempting any exercise. After that, you can gradually start to reintroduce exercise into your routine. Take it slow and do half or less than half of what you’d normally do in terms of reps, time, and intensity. Stick to low-impact activities like walking rather than running or biking.

By the second week, you can start to go for longer. Keep intensity low and slowly work up towards your norm.

In week three, you should be able to resume running and even cycling if you’re not experiencing pain. You should still avoid pushing yourself too hard during this time.

Four weeks in, you’re likely to be near recovery. You can resume more strenuous activities in addition to cardio, like lifting weights or playing sports. You still need to be cautious around straining your groin, and make sure to listen to your body.

Safe Core and Strength Exercises After Vasectomy

For the most part, you’ll want to avoid strength exercises that engage the legs and lower body in the early stages of recovery. Stick to arm and upper back exercises and skip leg day for a bit. As you recover, however, you can slowly start to reintroduce things like crunches, planks, rows, and similar. Save the most intense stuff for a month or two later when you’re fully recovered.

Activities to Avoid and Warning Signs of Overexertion

The most obvious activities to avoid after your vasectomy would be anything that puts undue stress or pressure on the surgical site. Riding bikes, doing lunges, and similar activities should not be attempted. You should also avoid swimming or even getting wet during the first week or so, since the last thing you want is water getting trapped in your wounds.

If you’re worried you might have overexerted yourself, you can use a hand mirror to check your stitches for damage. If you’re experiencing soreness, a cold compress or ice pack can help for short periods of pain. Other warning signs would be sharp, stabbing pain in the groin, feeling wet (evidence of bleeding), or growing lightheaded or woozy after performing an activity. If any of these symptoms start to worry you, relax, take a seat on a soft surface, and contact 911 for assistance.

Ready to Make Birth Control Easy?

All that being said, having a vasectomy is still a great decision even if you have to take it easy for a time. If you’re ready to make birth control easy, contact Upstate Urology today for more information and to make an appointment.

Image credit: // Shutterstock // Anicka S