I have had 2 first rib resections (left in dec 2012 and right in August 2014). I was at vastly different levels of fitness when the surgeries were preformed, so the recovery process was very different the second time around. My best advice for you is to do what you feel comfortable with, and follow the instructions of your doctor. After my first surgery, it took nearly 4 months before I could raise my arm all the way up and touch my shoulder to my ear; after my second surgery, it took 5 days - obviously, I was in vastly better shape at that point.

After the first surgery, I could barely get out of bed for the first 48 hours - I was very sore and my lung capacity was severely reduced. The second time, I was walking a mile each morning around the hospital hallways within 48 hours of surgery and a mile before bed each night in the hospital (I downloaded an app to map my walks).

The point is, it is hard to say what it the right way to go about recovery because the whole experience can be very unique (even within the same person). Best of luck with recovery. Feel feel to email me if you have questions.

Elizabeth