Post-Op Exercise

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

03 Dec 2007 10:42 AM

I've had a lot of opportunities to practice post-operation exercises this year and no matter how hard they knock me down, I am not giving up until my workout programs return to where they were previous to my surgeries in February and August. With that in mind, here are some tips for exercising after surgery.

Ankle

You just slowly push your foot up and down. You can do this lying flat on your back or sitting in a chair. You aren't extending your leg or any other part of your body, just your foot and your ankle. You do this every five minutes or so. You can combine this with rotating your ankle. You turn it slowly angling toward your other foot and then away. You want to do it in both directions; 5 or 6 times a set, 3 to 4 times a day.

Buttocks

Buttock contractions sound weird, but again this is an exercise you can perform while laying down or sitting up. Be sure that nothing you do causes yourself pain or check with your treating physician beforehand. For buttock contractions, tighten your buttocks and hold for 5 seconds, then release. Try to do this 10 times, 3 times a day.

Abduction

You can work your inner thighs by sliding your leg out as far to the side as you can and then back. Do each leg one at a time. Try for 5 each, 2 times a day. This will help keep your inner thigh muscles and exterior hip muscles worked without overdoing it and straining yourself.

Quadriceps

As with your buttock tightening, you can perform a similar tightening exercise with your quadriceps and thighs. You can also try by straightening your knee and extending your leg to tighten up the muscle. You want to hold it for a five count and then release.

While these exercises will not get you back into shape, they can help you to maintain muscle mass and integrity while you are recovering.

Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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Valorie Delp (49340) 03 Dec 2007 04:15 PM

Welcome back Heather!