Life-Cise - Fitness for Survivors

After-Surgery:

Walk! The best thing you can do after surgery, once you get the ok from your doctors, is walk.

When you've healed from the surgery and your doctors clear you, you need to start working to regain full range of motion. You need to begin stretching. Tightness from the surgery can cause a variety of problems, including rounding of shoulders or hunching over. Over time this can cause loss of mobility and chronic pain in your back, neck and joints.

Always do stretches slowly, stretching only to the point of slight discomfort, hold the stretch for 10-30 seconds. Make sure to keep breathing during the stretch. You may have some discomfort when you start. A little discomfort is all right, but sharp pain is not ok! If you experience any sharp pain, stop stretching immediately and talk to your doctor about it.

Only start rebuilding strength after you’ve regained good range of motion. It's important to strengthen the muscles that work in opposition to the area affected by the surgery: if you had abdominal surgery, pay special attention to strengthening your back; if you had breast surgery, work the muscles of your upper back.

Julie Tip

I expected to regain full mobility after surgery. I knew it would take time and a lot of work, but I refused to be limited by my surgery. I had a mastectomy with a free Tram flap reconstruction, a 10 hour surgery in which they removed my belly tissue to rebuild my breast. My nurses got me out of bed the day after surgery. At the time I kind of hated them for it, I just wanted to lie there. But just lying in bed wouldn’t accomplish my goal. By the second day I was shuffling around my room. As soon as I was able, I started walking the halls, dragging my IV stand with me. I was slow at first, hunched over and shuffling, but I walked.

Once my doctors gave me the OK, I began trying to stretch to regain my mobility. I had a scar from hip to hip where they had removed my belly. I sat, walked, and slept bent over. At first, all I could do was think about sitting up straight; I couldn’t really stretch at all. But every day, constantly, I sat and imagined myself stretching up straight. Slowly, slowly I began to get some movement. I kept trying to stretch, and in less than a month I was standing straight easily.

If you’ve had a surgery that has limited your mobility, be diligent in trying to regain it. Your progress may not be fast or steady, but over time it will improve. Just keep thinking about what you want and keep working. For more information visit my blog.

Note: It is important to talk to your doctor before beginning any exercise program.