Beginning to exercise after thymectomy

Beginning to exercise after having a thymectomy can be scary! Exercising with MG already is daunting for many as it means accommodating and figuring out how to adapt, https://myasthenia-gravis.com/living/exercising-again. But when you add a recent chest surgery, removal of an organ, and a broken sternum and wires if you went the transsternal route, there is an added fear that it is too soon or you will disrupt healing. You have already just gone through an ordeal, and you may feel the risk is high of an injury.

Talk with your doctor! Express your concerns. They will assure you when you are safe, and everything is appropriately healed to resume physical activity and the level of exercise to which you should limit yourself. And, of course, only ever do what you feel comfortable with.

I felt comfortable just walking for the first few months after surgery. They have you walk in the hospital to avoid blood clotting, and it is a good idea to keep the practice when you come home. About 5 months after surgery, I started swimming and eased myself into paddling my paddleboard for short durations. I did not do any weights or gym machines for a year.

Does anyone else have any advice for how they eased themselves back into exercise and activity after their thymectomy?

Jodi, Team Member