Your recovery period for a hysterectomy varies, depending on the type of hysterectomy you and your doctor decided upon. If you have a common abdominal surgery, expect to wait four to six weeks before you're able to exercise again. If your hysterectomy was done laparoscopically or vaginally, you'll need to rest for at least three to four weeks. Even if you feel better before the end of your recovery period, it's important that you follow doctor's orders and avoid running until the recovery period is over to prevent setbacks and injuries, which could extend your recovery.
Pain
Even if your surgery was the less invasive laparoscopic or vaginal hysterectomy, your recovery period could be painful. You've undergone major surgery and need to give your body time to heal. Running before your body has healed completely could be extremely painful, and you may experience cramps, tenderness and sharp pains when you participate in high-impact exercise, such as running, without having healed properly.
Incision Opening
One of the most dramatic and painful drawbacks to running before you've healed is re-opening the incision. While your doctor uses stitches to close the incisions during surgery, excessive, sharp movements and constant irritation could cause the incision to open. An open incision is more likely to become infected and cause even more pain. Since the incision takes longer to heal, it also has a greater risk for more noticeable scarring.
Infection
An open incision is susceptible to dirt, germs and bacteria, which often results in infection. But even closed incisions become infected when you don't care for them properly. Running soon after your surgery introduces bacteria and sweat to the outside of the incision. If your incision becomes infected, it could result in a longer recovery time, the need for antibiotics and other complications during the healing process. If your incision becomes warm to the touch, is bright red or oozes pus, contact your doctor immediately.
Friction
When you run, your body completes the same motions over and over again. While this doesn't matter much when you're healthy, as you recover from a hysterectomy, the motion could irritate your incision. Fabric rubbing against the site as you run could peel away some of the delicate new skin as your body heals, slowing the recovery process and causing pain.
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