Exercise before Surgery

Early last week, one of the regular participants in an on-line class that I teach had hip replacement surgery. I teach the class 3 times/week and she is almost always there unless she is traveling. Even in the weeks leading up to the surgery, she has been participating fully with a few modifications.

I checked in with her a few days after surgery to see how she was doing. She told me that the surgery went well–no surprises–and that the recovery had thus far been better than expected. She further explained to me that she had no doubt that all the workouts had prepared her body for a speedier and easier post-surgical experience. I have a friend who had a benign brain tumor removed over 20 years ago; he had a couple of months before the surgery date and he did his best to get in as much exercise as possible. He wanted to give himself the best chance for a successful recovery; there were unrelated complications after surgery and his strength helped keep him alive. He made a full recovery and continues to work out regularly.

These two anecdotal stories illustrate something that medical research has backed up. Study after study shows that the better shape you are in before surgery, the more likely you are to have an easier recovery with positive results. For those who exercise on a regular basis, there is no need to pile on more workouts; those who engage in physical activity regularly are likely to have greater strength and improved cardiovascular capacity to begin with. There is an indication, however, that those approaching surgery may want to shift to more HIIT workouts. HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training; it is exactly what it sounds like: periods of intense exercise interspersed with periods of moderate or light exercise. For more info on HIIT workouts you can look at my post from July 2019 and a follow-up from August 2021.

Followers of my blog know that I have undergone a few surgeries over the past years. I have been fortunate to recover to 100% with each one. It is not because of luck alone, but rather because I have prepared my body to be strong and resilient. It goes without saying that if you have been scheduled for surgery, you should talk with your doctor to see what they recommend or discourage before going under the knife (or laser). Hopefully a regular regime of exercise, proper rest, and good nutrition will–like an apple a day–keep the doctor away…but when surgery is called for, the better we go into it, the better we are likely to come out of it.