All of us will have to face up to the prospect of surgery at some point in our lives, and so it’s a good idea to prepare yourself for what the recovery process will involve even if you don’t currently have an operation of any kind on the horizon.
To avoid making common mistakes and to help you heal faster, here are some impactful ways to make your recovery from surgery as swift and seamless as possible.
Always follow your physician’s advice for your specific injury, e.g. repair of a bucket handle meniscus tear
Simply put, if you have surgery then you need to stick to the guidelines for recovery laid out by the healthcare professional that’s in charge of your case.
Just because you read about some miracle cure or hack online, that doesn’t mean it will work for you, and it could even be actively harmful depending on the issue you suffered and the surgery you received to rectify it.
For example, if you’ve undergone treatment for a bucket handle meniscus tear in your knee joint, the nature of the injury will determine the course of recovery. You might be able to put weight on it immediately, or you might need to rest it for several weeks.
The fact that there can be so much variety in the advice given for recovery, even in the instance of injuries which are superficially similar, shows you that there’s nothing better than sticking to the guidance of a physician.
Embrace a healthy diet
Recovering from surgery takes time because your body will literally be rebuilding and repairing the parts that were impacted by the intervention.
In order to do this efficiently and effectively, it needs a combination of energy and nutrients, so your diet during this phase matters a lot.
Striking a balance between the main food groups is always good, but increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables can be beneficial. In fact, switching to a fully plant-based diet could even shorten the time it takes to recover, as has been demonstrated by athletes.
Drink plenty of water
Another thing your body needs to function normally and heal itself after surgery is water. Being hydrated might mean more trips to the bathroom, but this is a small price to pay for not only the good it will do to your body, but also the way it will improve how you feel more generally.
If plain water isn’t that appealing, you can opt for flavored equivalents. Just steer clear of sugary, sweet beverages, because these will be worse for you in the long run.
Listen to your body
Although it’s obviously important to adhere to what your physician recommends with regards to recovery, you also need to know that not everyone’s body behaves in the same way. So if you reach the point where recovery should be complete, but you still feel that there’s a bit more healing to do, don’t overexert yourself unnecessarily.
You are the only one who can truly tell whether you feel well enough to resume your normal activities, or whether a little more rest is needed. Even if you decide to play it safe and ease yourself back into your routine a little more slowly, this can make a big difference.
The last word on recovering from surgery
Perhaps the most important part of recovering from surgery successfully is patience. If you rush things or try to force results too soon, you’ll only end up setting yourself back and being in recovery for longer.
Take your time, stick to the advice you’ve been given, and accept support from friends and family when it’s offered.
