Many women are eager to return to exercise after LEEP but do not have exercise guidelines.
Here are detailed guidelines so that you can feel confident during your recovery.
LEEP stands for loop electrosurgical excision procedure.
A woman who’s been sticking to a workout regimen will wonder just how soon she can return to it following the LEEP.
Exercise Guidelines Following LEEP
“Generally, it’s not advised to do any rigorous exercise for 48-72 hours after LEEP,” says Mylaine Riobe, MD, founder of Riobe Institute of Integrative Medicine.
Dr. Riobe, who’s board certified in ob/gyn and integrative medicine, is the author of “The Answer to Cancer.”
“It’s important for the surgical area to heal and stop bleeding before rigorous activity,” continues Dr. Riobe.
“During a LEEP procedure a significant portion of the cervix is removed and cauterized to stop bleeding.
“A liquid ‘band-aid’ called Monsel’s solution is usually applied by most gynecologists following LEEP to stop bleeding.
“The cervix is a highly vascular tissue and bleeds easily. A scab forms on the cervical bed and, if disrupted, can cause significant bleeding.”
Wait 48-72 Hours to Resume Your Deadlifts and Squats
Shutterstock/Oleksandr Zamuruiev
“After 48-72 hours, you can usually gradually resume activities,” says Dr. Riobe.
Just to play safe you should use a little less weight than what you were normally doing prior to the procedure – if for no other reason muscle loss will have occurred after 72 hours of no exercise.
Maybe hold off on any gut-wrenching routines and instead perform them at 80 or 90 percent intensity for that first workout after the LEEP.
If you’re a runner you can return to that 48-72 hours post-procedure.
If you’ve been doing HIIT workouts, maybe go up to your highest sub-optimal interval for your first post-LEEP HIIT session.
In that same timeframe you can return to your group fitness classes, karate, hiking and yoga with confidence.
Of course, says Dr. Riobe, “Once the scab is formed, it’s generally safe to exercise. Ask your doctor for specific instructions, as each case is different.”
Don’t be vague with your instruction request such as, “When can I get back into exercise?”
If you’re into CrossFit, mention that, and you’ll need to explain how intense it is if your doctor is not familiar with it.
If you do heavy and strenuous weight workouts with your lower body or do martial arts, tell your doctor that.
Dr. Riobe continues, “The scab usually falls off at seven days and some people can see some light bleeding when the scab separates from the cervical bed.
“It’s generally not advised to lift over 5-10 pounds for the first 48-72 hours following LEEP for the same reasons cited above.
“If all is okay following this period and there is no further bleeding or infection, you can usually gradually resume your activities as tolerated.
“Again, ask your doctor for specific instructions, as every case is different.”
This all is pretty good news for women who are eager to get back into their exercise regimen following LEEP.
