Concise answer
Return to exercise should follow the surgeon's protocol because sweating, friction, blood-pressure changes and accidental contact can affect early recovery. Exercise intensity matters as much as the day it resumes.
Light daily movement and strenuous training are not equivalent, and contact sports introduce a separate trauma risk.
A gradual return is usually easier to monitor than restarting every activity at once.
When evaluation may help
Confirm timing with the operating clinic, particularly for heavy lifting, swimming, helmets or contact sports, and stop if bleeding or new swelling occurs.