Staged return
Activity generally returns in stages: ordinary daily movement, then work, then low-impact exercise, then higher-impact or contact activity. The stages are set by healing at each follow-up rather than by a fixed number of weeks, and patients heal at genuinely different rates.
Friction and pressure are the practical issues
The activities that need most thought are the ones involving sustained pressure, repetitive friction or equipment across the chest — straps, harnesses, protective gear and some contact sports. Padding, positioning or a temporary adjustment usually solves it once the care team knows what you do.
Tell your team what you actually do
Climbing, swimming, martial arts, heavy manual work and instrument playing all come up regularly. Describing your real activities during planning lets your specialist consider profile and attachment choices with those demands in mind rather than adapting afterward.
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