Actor Chhavi Mittal returns to the gym with light weights after surgery

Actor Chhavi Mittal has returned to the gym for resistance training three weeks after undergoing an abdominal surgery. Mittal underwent a laparoscopic myomectomy on August 25, which involved four cuts on her abdomen and twenty-five to thirty internal stitches. She stated that she is currently lifting only a quarter of her usual weight capacity and is avoiding compound movements like conventional squats and deadlifts to keep core involvement minimal. She added that she started taking walks on the fourth day after her procedure to prepare for gym time.

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Dr Gandhali Deourukhkar, a consultant gynaecology and obstetrician at Wockhardt Hospitals Mumbai Central, explained that external wounds from minimally invasive surgeries can look healed while deeper tissues are still recovering. During a myomectomy, the uterus itself is cut and repaired, meaning internal healing continues even after abdominal cuts settle. Dr Deourukhkar warned that heavy weight training increases abdominal pressure and places strain on healing tissues, noting that pain is not always a reliable indicator of whether an activity is safe. Dr Kusum Lata, a senior consultant obstetrician, gynecologist and advanced laparoscopic surgeon at Motherhood Hospitals in Gurgaon, noted that people who regularly lift weights find it hard to take a break. However, she stressed that returning to exercise should focus on allowing proper healing time rather than matching previous intensities quickly. Both doctors agreed that gentle walking and everyday movement are encouraged to maintain blood circulation and reduce stiffness, provided patients avoid heavy lifting, intense abdominal work, or high-impact movements until cleared by their treating surgeon.