There are some things you may be able to start doing after your surgery to reduce your chances of having complications.
- Keep making sure you have enough protein in your diet for at least 4-6 weeks after your operation. Remember that you can use the nutrition task, where you have available your daily protein target and the tool to estimate your daily protein intake.
- Performing breathing exercises regularly (approx. every 30 minutes) can help you reduce the risk of respiratory complications (i.e., chest infection, pneumonia). Have a look at the video below, where you will see an explanation of how to do these exercises.
- Performing ankle mobility exercises regularly can help you reduce the risk of developing clots in your legs (deep vein thrombosis, DVT). The video below shows various exercises you can do as you progress through your recovery.
During your prehabilitation, you may have been performing other sorts of exercises like core and/or pelvic floor exercises. Depending on the nature of your operation, you may have to avoid doing these for several days. If you have doubts about when/how to resume them, ask your physiotherapist/surgeon to know what you should do.