Activities

The sooner you return to normal activities, the more rapid will be your recovery. The recovery from surgery and accompanying anesthesia can deplete your energy and increased bed rest may be necessary. However, staying in bed all day simply delays your recover and many times results in an inability to sleep at night. Short walks or other mild activity during the first few days postoperatively will commonly be of great benefit. As your strength returns, increase your activity toward your normal level.

Participation in sports

The only activity restriction we recommend is that of contact sports – those in which there is a risk of hitting your face with any significant force – not be attempted for at least 10 weeks after surgery.
Your fixation may limit your participation in sports or in exerting yourself. If you hold your teeth together, you will see how it might be difficult to breathe deeply should you become winded by exercise. Rely on your common sense. You may be able to participate in some sports or exercise activities at a reduced level. It is doubtful that any of these activities will affect the healing of your jaw, however, a possible increase in discomfort with being “closed” should be considered. It is not recommended to swim in deep water with your jaw wired (or any situation where you could “panic”, for that matter.) It should be obvious that any blow to the face or jaw that might occur with sporting accidents could be very harmful to your recovery, and you should not participate in such activity for several months or until you obtain the OK from the surgeon.

Your return to work or school

You are encouraged to return to work or school as soon as you feel up to it. Each individual will differ in his or her speed of recovery. This depends on your age, physical condition, and the nature of the operation itself. The usual recovery time for most procedures is 4 weeks, although some individuals may need an extra week or two. Its better to push yourself a little to get back to work or school as soon as possible. Quite frankly, the healing period goes faster when you are busy.