Mailbag: Speed Up Your Recovery from Hip Surgery
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted March 5, 2024
“I’m planning to have hip surgery this year. Is there anything I can do to speed up recovery? Feeling nervous.”
— Joan
Hi Joan,
When I’ve had patients recovering from hip or knee surgery, I always explained that a good recovery requires focusing on two key areas: restoring fitness and optimizing nutrition.
Let’s start with fitness…
Even with your activities being limited before and after your surgery, it’s vital to concentrate on improving cardiovascular conditioning and rebuilding muscle mass.
When you do, it can significantly accelerate your rehabilitation, getting you back on your feet and into the swing of things far faster.
Here are some activities you can try (with the permission of your doctor, of course):
- Stationary biking: Gently pedaling a stationary bike is low-impact but boosts heart health and strengthens your legs. Keep resistance and speed low and limit the duration of your sessions.
- Water exercise: Doing any exercise in water reduces the strain on joints while providing enough gentle resistance to improve strength and range of motion. Consider pool walking, swimming, or water aerobics designed for folks with arthritis or other joint conditions.
- Upper body training: You can use resistance bands, light hand weights, or upper body calisthenics to maintain and build arm, shoulder, and back muscles while protecting your hip.
- Stretching: Gentle stretches keep surrounding muscles flexible, prevent stiffness, and aid mobility before and after surgery.
Now let’s take a look at nutrition…
Your body needs good nutrition to produce the extra energy required to heal and recover from a major surgery. Any shortcuts you take in the kitchen could lead to a longer recovery time.
Before and after surgery, I typically recommend the following dietary changes:
- Emphasizing lean, anti-inflammatory proteins, especially fish and chicken.
- Loading up on micronutrient-dense vegetables. Aim for 8–10 servings daily to ensure you get plenty of antioxidants.
- Avoid processed carbs and sugars. They impede healing by provoking inflammation. The easiest way to do that? Dump processed foods from your diet.
- Take probiotics and an enzyme supplement to ease digestion and absorb the maximum number of healing nutrients from your diet.
And finally, I usually also recommend a handful of healing supplements. Just be sure to check in with your surgeon to get a thumbs up BEFORE taking them.
Beginning two weeks before surgery and continuing for four weeks after the following daily supplements could set you up for a faster, more complete recovery from surgery…
- Multivitamin and mineral: Look for a high-potency product from a trusted manufacturer.
- Vitamin C: 3,000 milligrams (mg) to promote the healing of connective tissue.
- Mixed Bioflavonoids: 3000 mg to reduce inflammation, pain, and swelling.
- Vitamin E: 400 IU to promote wound healing and reduce scar formation.
- Zinc: 30 to 40 mg to stimulate DNA synthesis for new cell growth.
The fact is surgery is a major disruption to your health and routine. So, remember to be kind to yourself in the weeks following the operation.
It’s okay if you don’t always feel 100 percent or like doing some of your normal activities. And don’t overlook the critical importance of rest. Getting enough sleep will help you recover faster.
P.S. Study reveals a surprising way to bounce back from surgery FAST.
Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.
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