Get ready for post-op limitations before surgery

Anticipating surgery in your future? Worried how you will deal with the physical limitations until you have recovered? Here are a few tips to help you prepare prior to surgery:

• Spend time before surgery practicing doing all your typical daily activities without the involved limb.
• For surgery on your shoulder, imagine dressing without using that arm or hand. Get those pants pulled up and dress for work. This activity allows you to evaluate how comfortable you are with design and fit of the clothing; often getting loose fitting, elastic, and simple clothing like sweat pants allow you to quickly manage your task without undue stress.
• If you are having knee surgery, consider how you can dress and get shoes on with one leg in an immobilizing splint, being held fairly straight and not bending.

If you live at home, consider preparing meals ahead and freezing them to use the first 1-2 weeks after surgery.

Get any unfinished projects done and out of the way before you have surgery. Those few days after surgery are important ones for resting the post operative area and letting the body begin to heal and close the wound. This is not the time to work on that chore list. Make your goal to resume normal household and work activities as soon as reasonable and keep those extra projects off your post operative list.

Rearrange your schedule for the first 4 weeks after surgery to keep life simple, no major life events or activities if it can be helped.