PREHAB HELPS REHAB AFTER SURGERY -- so Get Moving!

The bad news is you need surgery. The good news is that you can do "prehab" which will make your post surgery recovery easier and better. Evidence suggests that you will be better off the more you do to prepare your body for surgery. prehabilitation has been used in orthopedic surgery and scientists are finding it helps with many types of surgeries.

Here are some tips to bounce back faster after surgery:

1. Get Moving! Just do it, go to the gym, walk, move, exercise even if that means no impact exercises in the pool. A study in the Arthritis and Rheumatology journal found patients who underwent knee or hip replacements were more mobile 3 days after surgery if they had been physically active in the 6 weeks before the surgery.

2. Eat Protein. Protein is a building block for muscles and tissues and your body needs it to prepare for surgery and post operation recovery.

3. Stop Smoking. Smoking delays recovery and can increase the risk of complications.

4. Relax! Develop a stress reduction routine to help you get rid of or lessen the anxiety and depression that surrounds surgeries. The body and mind are directly connected. So relax, learn breathing techniques, or learn guided visualization strategies to keep your mind healthly and focused on successful surgical outcome.