29th of April, 2023, Saturday The HealthDay News After surgery, patients should gradually resume movement and activity.
One surgeon stressed the value of paying attention to your body, saying that while these efforts may be modest, they are nevertheless preferable to doing nothing.
“The most important thing is patient comfort. After surgery, there is often this apprehension of, ‘If I move or do something, I will hurt or damage the area where I had surgery,’” said Dr. Adil Ahmed, an assistant professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “We must counsel patients pre-op and post-op, telling them what is safe to do in terms of physical activity because they should be mobile.”
After surgery, start by completing little chores. Ahmed advised patients with shoulder replacements who were in a sling and had limited movement for four weeks to wiggle their fingers, compress a stress ball, and flex and extend their wrists and elbows. This can minimise swelling and protect the joints from becoming stiff.
“In those first four weeks, you’re doing very gentle, rotational motions because you want everything to heal, and then you progress in therapy and remove those restrictions,” he explained in a Baylor news release. “You start strengthening once your motion starts to get better.”
Just concentrate on getting out of bed by yourself, using the restroom by yourself, or putting on and taking off your clothes and shoes if your arm is in a sling.
After that, you can gradually resume physical activity by taking short, leisurely walks.
Instead of being sedentary during rehabilitation, Ahmed suggested modifying your workout regimen by concentrating on the body parts you can move.
Use your free arm to hold and manoeuvre a broomstick after a shoulder replacement. Start using heavier sticks gradually to build up the opposite arm.
Focus on working your legs and core if your wrist or elbow is healing. You can also gradually begin including your arm workout in your programme, according to Ahmed.
Resistance band exercises that are simple to do can be beneficial.
“It’s excellent if you can go to the gym and work out, even if it’s not your usual regimen. Anything is preferable to nothing, said Ahmed.
To reduce pain, controlled movements are ideal. For instance, using a stationary bike has a modest impact while increasing heart rate. Even if your arm is confined in a sling, this exercise is simple. Following surgery, walking is encouraged.
When you do go back to the gym, Ahmed advised you to start off slowly.
“There is always a progression, and you never want to jump right into the weights. It’s not important to grow strong right soon, so you should start with light bodyweight workouts, much less than you were before surgery. Because the body’s natural response is to push through pain, which is how you injure yourself, everything you do must follow the same motion parameters, he explained.
Ahmed advised that when starting physical activity following surgery, use pain as your guide.
The upper limit for you should be when anything hurts.
Avoid enduring the discomfort. During the recuperation period, increasing motion is more crucial than strengthening.
Patients typically fall into one of two categories: overly cautious, which can prolong recovery time and produce stiffness, or aggressive, who push themselves too hard, too soon.
Patients who have joint fractures need to take extra precautions because the joint can shift and lead to permanent arthritis in the patient.
Ahmed advised patients to ask their surgeons several questions. They should enquire about range of motion and whether or not it is safe to move. Are there any limitations on how I can move? Can I carry weight or not? should be their question regarding weight bearing. Can I lift, push, or pull objects?
They should also inquire as to whether they can remove the sling for a set period of time or if they must wear it constantly. Ask about therapy as well, including the start date and whether you should perform simple exercises at home.
“I try to make it a point to tell patients this information, but it’s important with any type of surgery — not just the extremities — to ask these questions,” Ahmed added.
source from: msn.com
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