Recovering and exercising after any surgery is a huge topic, complicated by the fact that everyone’s body is different, and there are lots of different definitions of the terms involved, such as “exercise” and “daily activities. As many as 15 million Americans will go in for some kind of surgery this year. That figure includes everything from cataract removal to circumcision to emergency surgeries, but it also covers surgeries more likely to affect some of our clients here, such as total knee replacement. You can use our tips and interesting facts discussed in this blog to aid your recovery and hopefully get back to doing the fitness things you love. However, always let your body be your first guide, in consultation with your doctor.
Is Exercise Recommended After Surgery?
Exercise plays a crucial role in recovery after surgery, aiding in faster healing and better overall outcomes. However, the type and intensity of exercise recommended can vary significantly depending on the specific surgery and individual patient factors. It’s essential to follow medical advice and tailor exercise routines to your recovery needs. Below, we discuss the advisability of exercise following three common surgeries: heart surgery, total knee replacement, and another common procedure.
Exercise After a C-Section Surgery, Focus on Your Core
Roughly one-third of American babies are born by C- Section; that’s a lot of moms who’ll have to bounce back from serious surgery. Six to eight weeks is the minimum rest time you’ll see advised by experts, although Kegels and getting out of bed and walking within the first day of surgery are recommended for pelvic health recovery.
In fact, restrengthening your core is going to be priority #1 even as you’re able to get back to light exercising such as swimming and doing yoga. Exercises such as bridges and half-planks or side planks (best to avoid full planks for a while) can help rebuild core muscles and strengthen your pelvic floor.
Try Yoga Following Heart Surgery
A 2014 study found that patients who incorporated yoga into their rehab program after coronary artery bypass surgery showed great improvements in blood flow and cholesterol levels compared to those in traditional programs.
For people in this demographic, yoga is likely a new experience, so it’s important to stick to restorative, yin-yoga or yoga therapy, as opposed to something strenuous like vinyasa. Poses in this category include caterpillar, Banan asana, cat tail, and savasana. Always remember to talk with your physician before starting an exercise routine after surgery.
Stay Active After Knee Replacement Surgery
You don’t have to hang-up your sneakers and quit exercising after total knee replacement surgery. First off, be sure you need a total replacement before committing– evidence indicates a significant number of total knee arthroplasties are unnecessary. If you do have one done, “cutting” sports such as basketball and tennis may be off the table, but despite traditional wisdom, hiking, running, jogging, skiing, and even weightlifting don’t necessarily have to be. In fact, you need to keep doing them!
What causes most knee replacements to fail is loosening of the cement used. The reason the cement loosens is because the bone weakens/decreases with age and inactivity. So how do you build the bone back up? Resistance exercise. Physical activity also strengthens the muscles, reducing force on the joint.
In short, physical therapy after a total knee replacement is a lifetime endeavor, because it’s about giving the new knee a healthy environment to work in. And health and physical activity go together!
