Can I exercise after the tattoo?

Introduction

After the new tattoo is on the spot you want to start again with the usual sports program. However, you should pay attention to some things and first of all be careful with the tattooed area. It is unimportant what kind of tattoo it is.

Whether it is a small, large, colored or white tattoo, the affected area on the skin should first be treated carefully. Through the movement and also the contact with different materials, infections can appear at the tattooed area, which in the worst case can ruin the whole tattoo. Therefore, sports that affect the tattooed area should be paused for the time being. They can be temporarily replaced with other sports or even completely replaced until the area of the skin is completely healed.

Sports after tattoos on back/arm/foot/ribs

After a tattoo you should not practice any sports that affect the tattooed area. With a tattoo it behaves like with abrasions: Wound secretions come out and crusts may form. If the new tattoo is on the back, arm, foot or ribs, the restrictions are quite large.

These body parts or limbs are strained by many movements, so you should refrain from sports if you have a tattoo on your back, arm, foot or ribs. Almost every sport strains the feet, so that the skin in this area is almost always in motion. Especially sports like soccer, jogging, handball and all water sports should be interrupted after getting a tattoo until the skin has regenerated.

If the tattoo is on the back or on one or both arms, many sports fall out of the field of recommended sports. With many arm movements the shoulder blades move along with the tattoo, thus a large part of the back moves. The skin is strained by the many movements.

Since the skin has suffered many small injuries through the punctures of tattooing, the additional movement through the sport can lead to severe inflammation and pain, which significantly delay the healing process of the tattoo. Due to the delayed healing of the tattoo, long lasting problems with the skin can be associated, so the tattoo artist’s recommendation should be taken seriously and followed. In the worst case, the tattoo can change, so that the desired result is negatively influenced.

In conclusion, tattoos require a certain healing time, which should be observed if you do not want to endanger your health or the tattoo. Therefore, sports and movements that put a lot of strain on the affected body parts should be suspended for a while. Usually one advises a break of 5 – 14 days, depending on size and place. If you give your tattoo enough rest, you can enjoy the colours of the tattoo much longer than someone who starts with the sport directly again. Especially with contact sports one should be especially careful, because here the risk of further injuries and contamination, in addition to the pain, are very high.