Traveling after surgery
After any surgery, doctors usually recommend putting off any travel until you are able to walk around easily and to sit comfortably for the duration of a journey. People recover individually at different rates. This may be after 3-4 weeks, but it could be more or less, depending on the type of surgery and your general condition.
If you have had abdominal surgery and intend to drive, you will be advised to wait until you are able to make an emergency stop with confidence, and this can take several months. Your car insurance may not cover you if you drive before you are fully recovered.
If you are travelling by air, you may be affected by the pressurised cabin air, which expands the gases in your body. Following recent surgery, this could cause you pain and stretch your wound. Many airlines restrict air travel for up to 10 days after surgery, depending on the type of surgery.
