pre-op exercise

[creblue]

I have been trying to continue to exercise so I will be stronger for my surgery. I go to Curves, and tho it hurts sometimes, i feel it is worth it. Am i doing the right thing?

 

[JudyS]

i think you are. Exercising can only help.
judy

 

[Nana55]

Hey creblue,
I did some exercises on the advice of a PT friend of mine who said it would help since both my legs where weak because I had avoided exercising due to so much pain on the left leg. So for me, it hurt but helped. I had a month to work on it before my surgery.
Nana

 

[Jamie]

Creblue, I think you are doing the right thing by continuing to exercise. Just be sure you do it in moderation and don't cause yourself too much pain. You don't want it to result in inflammation and swelling, so watch yourself!

 

[nickji]

Hi Creblue,

After my THR I eventually realised that the leg that would have benefitted the most from pre-op. exercise was my 'good' leg, since it's being doing even more work than usual since surgery. I agree with Jamie, go easy - especially on the 'bad' leg.

Enjoy it all,

Nick

 

[hurtingbuthopeful]

As an avid gym-goer anyway, my goal before surgery was to be in the best shape possible. So every day I was at the gym, diligent in my endeavor. I did whatever my body would allow without screaming. I proved beneficial to me with getting in and out of bed, up and down stairs, etc. Of course I lost some of that muscle tone after the surgery, and am hoping the adage "muscle remembers" is true as the jiggles are taking over!

 

[Sticker Lady]

I, too, have tried to do some exercise as a wait for BTKR next month. My feeling is that it won't hurt (as long as I'm careful) and it might help. I think it also helps with some of the pre-op willies since it gives me something to control-LOL!
Blessings,
Irene

 

[nickji]

Of course I lost some of that muscle tone after the surgery, and am hoping the adage "muscle remembers" is true as the jiggles are taking over!

Hi there hbh,

As far as my limited understanding goes, your hope will be fulfilled !!! Muscles do remember. Exercise makes each fibre 'larger' (it doesn't change the number of muscle fibres). And they'll still be larger/stronger after the operation.

However, as far as the muscles that have been involved in the surgery is concerned, this is not necessarily of much use, since muscle 'tone' (the tension in the muscle) is a function of all the fibres in the muscle. Tone is what allows us to maintain our body's position. Proper movement of a muscle depends on the whole muscle being in tone. So the operation, by damaging untold numbers of fibres, impairs muscle tone and hence muscular activity.

I really don't know, but I have a feeling that pre-op. exercise wouldn't help much in the restoration of muscle tone since many fibres have been damaged and I imagine the repair mechanism isn't speeded up just because a fibre is bigger/stronger. Hope I'm wrong. . .

I want to add that, whatever it's effect on the operated leg, exercising will help you in that it will improve the strength of your good leg, and as you know, we all rely a lot on that one after the op

Enjoy it all,

Nick

 

[Judles]

Creblue,,,,Not only will the exercise HELP but it will be that much easier in your recuperaton!