Lifting with stitches

[David Lee]

I'm having a couple lipomas removed which will leave me with two stitched up incisions that will be about 3" each. One on my back, and one on my hip. I'm attaching photos to show the approximate locations.

The doc, of course, told me not to lift anything heavy for two weeks. Based on the locations, I think I'll be fine with anything except rows or the fast lifts--Squat, DL, Press, Bench.

back.jpghip.jpg


What do you think?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Is the hip incision anterior or posterior? Can't tell from your graphic.

[Sparky]

I have had multiple Lipomas removed and for me it was dependant on how deep the wound was as well as the length and the placement on the body which you mentioned earlier. If its deep you may have to wait all together until healed. Sometimes lipomas (like mine) get all intertwined with everything else in the area and the surgeon is digging around.
I have ripped the stitches in my back doing nothing but sitting around and other times I have performed tasks and lifted heavy objects and it was fine. In my opinion, and just an opinion, who am I, take a few days off and then when they appear to start healing maybe try the movements with very minimal weight to make sure form stays in tact. Any pain will screw up your form which in turn may then screw things up worse. If everything feels ok then slowly add some weight.
Learn from my past mistakes, slow and steady dude, consistency is great and is a major part key of a great training schedule but a few days off won't kill all your gainzZz either. Mike Webster said it best,Take a few days off and come back even stronger for it. Either way good luck!
Sparky

[David Lee]

Is the hip incision anterior or posterior? Can't tell from your graphic.

Anterior, sorry. I would think posterior would be much more concerning, correct?

I had a small one taken off my shoulder & didn’t miss a day. That incision was only about 3/4” and the lipoma was right under the epidermis. These are bigger & deeper.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Squats are probably going to mechanically fuck with the deep incision. I'd give it a while, since you don't need a hematoma in the hole.

[Kyle Martin]

I came back too early from a thing like this, it was epically bad. My stitches came undone like a zipper and I had to spend what felt like 10 years and a fortune buying gauze and then packing it into the wound every day. I guess that probably only lasted for 2 weeks but it was a much worse 2 weeks then just waiting for the stitches to do their thing.

[pdubya3]

Timely thread as I need to have Mohs procedure on top of my scalp tomorrow and a followup procedure in a separate location. I don't plan on stopping training, but will dial it back a bit while sutures are in for a couple weeks.