How to Work With a Trainer to Recover From Surgery

Exercise is an important part of recovering from most types of surgery. The proper exercises can strengthen the area of the operation, minimize fatigue and prevent re-injury. A physical therapist will most likely act as your personal trainer during the recovery process. When you work with a trainer to recover from surgery, you will maximize your chances of a complete recovery and return to peak physical form as soon as possible. Follow these steps to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Work With a Trainer to Recover From Surgery

1. Decide if your workout program will be held in your home or at a rehabilitation facility. This will largely depend on your mobility following the surgery. Even if you start out having a trainer come to your home to work with you, as you recover and gain strength, you may eventually go out to a physical therapy center for your exercise sessions.
2. Work with your trainer to develop a customized exercise routine. Your physical therapy during your recovery will be determined by the type of surgery you had, your age, overall physical condition and expectations of activities you will engage in once your recovery is complete. As a result, no two people will have an identical physical therapy program following surgery.
3. Start slowly. Right after surgery, you are going to be very weak and tired. You still have to exercise, but don't try to do too much too soon. This could end up harming you and prolonging your recovery. Do only as much as your trainer says you should and no more.
4. Be diligent. Your trainer will almost certainly give you exercises to perform when the two of you are not together. Faithfully adhere to these exercises and the schedule your trainer prescribed for them. This will help you continue to gain strength, which will hasten your recovery.
5. Remember the importance of ice and heat. Your muscles, tendons and ligaments are going to be particularly sensitive around the area of your operation and exercise is going to exacerbate this sensitivity. Your trainer will prescribe a schedule for ice and heat packs for the affected area to help your soft tissues recover after exercise sessions.

Tips & Warnings

• Physical therapy can often involve intense discomfort as muscles and tendons are stretched and moved following surgery. However, you should never experience any unbearable pain during your exercise sessions. If you do, it could be a sign that something is wrong. You might need immediate medical attention. Let your trainer know right away if this happens.