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by Joseph A. Mele III, M.D., F.A.C.S.
I am often asked if breast augmentation limits athletic ability. Does the
placement of implants somehow weaken an athlete? Will their weight cause
instability? Does placement under the pectoralis major muscle cause loss of
muscle function? Like many questions in medicine, the answer depends on the
specific variable for each individual.
Size matters, and the larger the implant the greater the potential impact.
Variables influenced include the following: reaching across the chest, lateral
(side-to-side) displacement of the breast and implant, the additional weight of
the implant, increased drag, discomfort and possible muscle atrophy.
The ability to reach across the chest can be impacted. For someone with AA-cup
sized breasts before surgery, the change is proportionally larger than for
someone who begins with B-cup breasts. The implants may be more noticeable with
sports that require extreme inward rotation at the shoulder with the arm
extended. Examples include golf and racket sports like tennis and racket ball.
Unless the implants are quite large, most athletes adapt quickly and can
compensate by increasing rotation of the torso at the waist.
Lateral displacement of the breast and implant can also interfere with the arm's
range of motion. By keeping the implant diameter less than or equal to the
diameter of the native breast, the feeling that "they're in the way" can be
minimized. This is also a good way to keep the result proportional to the rest
of your body.
The weight of the implant is another factor. Women with large breasts
(especially those desiring breast reduction surgery) often complain of lower
neck, upper back and shoulder pain. Removing breast tissue - usually several
pounds - relieves these symptoms. Conversely, if too much weight is added to the
breast, similar symptoms can develop. However, since most implants weigh about
three quarters of a pound, this problem is rare. Exercise routines that include
running and jumping may make the weight more noticeable, but with the proper
support, these activities are usually well tolerated.
Competitive swimmers may notice slightly increased drag, but for the
recreational athlete, little change is noted. Since most implants used for
augmentation are filled with saline (salt water), they are essentially neutrally
buoyant. In other words, implants won't make you float on your back - or sink to
the bottom of the pool.
A rare complication of breast augmentation is chronic discomfort in the breast.
Most discomfort is associated with the surgery itself. This usually resolves
over a few days to weeks. Occasionally chronic pain develops. This is more
common with larger implants, and may be related to stretching the capsule around
the implant. Massage to compress the implant, displacement exercises, adequate
support and medication usually help, but this may require some time away from
strenuous activity. Again, this not a common problem, but in a few cases the
implants had to be removed or reduced in size to provide relief.
As far as I know, there are no large clinical trials measuring upper extremity
strength before and after breast augmentation, but anecdotal evidence suggests
that weakness in the muscle is usually temporary, and is related more to the
discomfort of surgery than to the implants. Most bodybuilders elect to have
implants placed in front of the pectoralis muscle because of interference with
muscle function. When these athletes pose, and forcefully flex their pectoralis
muscles, their implants will raise up if placed behind the muscle. Although an
implant is more obvious in front of the muscle, as the cover of many muscle
magazines will attest, there is less movement with posing. There is anecdotal
evidence that implants of reasonable size can be placed in the subpectoral plane
without interfering with function, and many of my patients continue to enjoy
exercising and weight lifting after their surgery without significant changes in
their routine.
As with anything in life, too much of a good thing really is too much. Keeping
the changes you have desire proportional to the rest of your body will help to
minimize any interference breast implants may have on your physical activities.
Whether you're looking to increase your breast size, or restore lost volume due
to weight reduction or pregnancy, breast augmentation can be satisfying, and
still cause minimal interference with your lifestyle.
There is no risk-free surgery, but choosing a well trained and practiced surgeon
can help minimize the known risks. When choosing breast augmentation, it is also
important to seek out a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, who is well trained and
comfortable with the procedure. Ask to see representative before and after
pictures of the surgeon's patients. Ask them about their experience with
patients' activity after the procedure, and when you will get "back to normal."
If you do not personally know someone who has had the surgery, many plastic
surgeons can provide you with the names of their past patients, who are
comfortable talking about their experiences.
Even though breast augmentation is an outpatient procedure, your surgeon should
have admitting privileges at a local hospital for the rare circumstance where
you might need to be admitted. Most Board Certified Plastic Surgeons are members
of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and can be found on the
society's web site (www.plasticsurgery.org). or the JAM.
Dr. Joseph A. Mele, III, M.D., F.A.C.S. is chairman of the Division of Plastic
Surgery at John Muir Medical Center located in the San Francisco bay area in
Walnut Creek, CA. He is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and
the American Board of Surgery and is an active member of the American Society of
Plastic Surgery
Joseph A. Mele, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Source :
http://www.breastimplants411.com/dbii/articles.asp~Article_ID=15