Prehabilitation is an element of rehabilitation that starts even before you have surgery. The actions you take now can help your recover more quickly and reduce the time you spend in hospital. Your journey to recovery starts before the surgery happens by actively managing your physical, nutritional and psychological health.
The benefits of prehabilitation can be seen in as little as two weeks!
The main aspects to prehabilitation are improving your fitness levels and making sure that you eat well, get enough sleep and lessen any stress factors in your life.
Aim for 30 minutes of aerobic activity daily, to include moderate to brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling - can be done in ten minute sessions. Try to build muscle strength by using resistance bands, sit to stand and weights. However, you can also use gardening and even housework to get fitter.
Maintaining a stable weight and eating a healthy and nutritious diet in the weeks leading up to your surgery.
NHS Fife Weight Management Service. The weight management service provides a specialist service which supports individuals to lead a healthy lifestyle, to manage their weight and improve their health.
This includes stopping smoking and limiting alcohol to within NHS Scotland guidelines [maximum of 14 units a week. This is particularly helpful in preparation for and recovery from treatment. It is also helpful from an emotional wellbeing perspective as alcohol can affect how we cope with our feelings and can even intensify feelings of low mood and anxiety in the longer term.
You can self-refer or ask for a referral to alcohol services Fife Alcohol and Drugs service can provide support to help you reduce your alcohol consumption and is completely confidential.
Fife Alcohol and drugs service: 01592 206200
As well as improving your overall health, stopping smoking prior to your surgery will reduce your chances of post op complications and will help to speed up your recovery. Quit Your Way Scotland is an advice and support service for anyone trying to stop smoking in Scotland. The service can help you to create a personal plan to help you quit, in a way that suits you, and can offer you support and advice.
