This article is part of the Ultimate Guide to Knee Replacement from Logansport Memorial Hospital.
A nagging shoulder injury is limiting your ability to use your arm normally. You need your hip replaced because of arthritis. You tore your ACL in a skiing injury. Whatever the reason, you needed orthopedic surgery and now you’re facing a recovery period. Recovery from orthopedic surgery can be hard work. Here are four tips to make your recovery as strong as possible.
Four tips for orthopedic surgery recovery
1. Ask for help.
Ask family or friends to cook for you a few times a week. Ask your neighbor to walk your dog. Ask someone to stay with you for a few days after surgery to help you get around and do the laundry, empty the dishwasher, and clean your house. Trying to do too much too soon is a sure way to make your recovery take longer and cause you unnecessary pain. Ask for help before you need it and for as long as you need it.
2. Eat a healthy diet.
A healthy diet is important for many reasons, but especially so when your body is trying to recover from surgery. Your body needs good vitamins and minerals to do its best healing work. Focus on fruits, vegetable,s and lean proteins such as chicken and fish to help promote healing.
3. Sleep when you are tired.
Your body does some of its best recovery and repair while you are sleeping. Expect to be more tired than normal after surgery and listen to your body.
4. Keep moving.
As soon as your doctor says it’s safe to move—which in some cases may be the day of surgery—get up and move! You’ll want to follow doctor’s orders on the amount and type of movement, but the sooner you are active, the sooner you will be on the road to a strong recovery. The role of physical therapy in recovery is an important one. Physical therapy promotes healing and helps you regain mobility faster. Logansport Memorial Hospital has physical therapy on-site for your convenience. We also have a centralized surgical department to make the entire process convenient. We are proud to provide complete care on-site and close to home:
- Surgery preregistration
- Pre-op education
- Pre-op testing
- Check-in the day of surgery
- Inquiries from family and friends
- Post-op care
Call 574.722.2663 to learn more about orthopedic care at Logansport Memorial Hospital.
