People in Stamford, CT, come to Revolution training to learn the best exercises for fitness or participate in boxing, which depends on good training and fitness. While we work with people of all fitness levels, we also need to know more about you to be effective, especially if you’re recovering from surgery. What types of exercises should you be doing? That all depends on the type of surgery you had and how far along you are in the healing process. You also need to clear any workout program with your doctor or physical therapist.
Taking it slowly is good advice.
No matter what type of surgery you had, making sure everything is healed before diving into a tough workout is important. That doesn’t mean you should sit for months after a surgery. If you had foot surgery, doing exercises for the upper body while you’re physical therapist works with exercises for your lower body can be helpful. Walking, when possible is the first step back to fitness and getting moving. The more you move, the more your blood circulates and the quicker you heal. Just do light stretches or other mild forms of exercise that doesn’t cause trauma at the surgical site. Listening to your body and taking the advice of your health care professional is extremely important when you first get back into exercise.
Avoid making the following mistakes.
You can be too gung ho and overdo or do too little and not heal as fast. Doing too much can cause setbacks, but laying in bed too long can be even more dangerous, with the potential for blood clots, pressure sores and even weaker muscles. If you don’t move much, it can cause digestive issues, but that doesn’t mean you need to quit eating. Just make sure it’s healthy food. Stick with the protocols from your health care professionals. Do breathing exercises if they’re assigned. Take it easy, but keep moving, if only a little more each day.
Light exercise means very little stress.
Light exercise means short walks, not lifting lighter weights, unless the surgery doesn’t involve the upper body. That short walk can be lengthened every few days and become brisker by the third or fourth week if the health care professional approves. A stationary bike ride and low impact exercises can be added as you heal. Avoid high impact exercise like heavy lifting, jumping or sprinting that add excess strain on your body.
- Doing too intense a workout too soon, can increase blood flow at the point of surgery and cause swelling that can break stitches. Sweating can spread germs to the area healing. Wait at least five days and always consult your surgeon or health care professional.
- Don’t expect to immediately pick up where you left off before the surgery. Start slowly, as though you’ve never exercised before the surgery. You can always make it harder as you heal.
- The location of the surgery and the severity all makes a difference. Even if you got the okay from your health care professional, don’t forget to tell your trainer about the surgery before the trainer creates your workout program.
- Start out by breaking your workout into ten minute sessions you do three times a day. As you get fitter, make them 15 minutes and do them twice a day. When you’re ready, switch to one 30 minute session.
For more information, contact us today at Revolution Training