Post-Surgery Wellness: Nutrition and Exercise Tips

Before starting any exercise program after surgery, it’s crucial to consult with your doctor. Surgery is often a traumatic experience, so balancing rest, activity, and good nutrition is key to a smooth recovery.

How soon you can resume activity depends on the type of surgery and medical advice. For surgeries like knee or hip operations, light exercise is often encouraged shortly after to quickly regain motion and strength. However, more invasive surgeries, such as heart bypasses, require complete rest, though some movement is essential to prevent complications like deep vein thrombosis and pneumonia.

For those recovering from breast surgery, the Breast Cancer Network Australia suggests Pilates to aid recovery. You can perform several exercises at home without special equipment. For instance, using a towel for gentle front raises or sweeps can help restore shoulder and chest mobility after a mastectomy.

After invasive surgery, it’s important to reintroduce mobility slowly and with medical guidance. Starting with deep breathing and coughing exercises is common, followed by gentle activities such as walking.

Allow your wounds time to heal, as intensive exercise can cause swelling, scarring, and even infection if sweat and dirt enter the wound. The Australian Heart Foundation notes that most heart surgery patients can return to normal daily activities within 2-4 weeks and resume sports like golf, cycling, or swimming after about 6 weeks.

General advice suggests starting slowly and gradually increasing exercise over several weeks. If any activity causes pain or discomfort, stop immediately.

Liposuction, a widely popular elective surgery, often has surgeons recommending walking on the evening of the procedure to prevent blood clots in the legs or lungs. Research on liposuction highlights the importance of light movement for recovery.

Eating the right foods significantly impacts recovery speed. The body needs extra calories and nutrients for rebuilding and healing. Recovery can be challenging due to reduced appetite from discomfort, pain, and medication. Eating small, frequent meals, having snacks, staying hydrated, and exercising are excellent ways to meet nutritional needs.

Exercise and good nutrition are crucial to recovering well post-surgery. It’s important to follow medical advice carefully, as trying to do too much too soon can harm your body. Exercise combined with a healthy diet improves circulation, boosts mood, and helps combat post-surgery depression.