Exercise can serve as an excellent stress management tool which can help with the anxiety, nervousness prior to surgery. A regular exercise or movement routine can significantly decrease your recovery time and get you back in shape after surgery.
A Regular Routine
The best strategy prior to surgery is to have a regular (3-5 times a week) exercise routine. This can be walking daily, attending fitness classes, gardening, biking or many other physical pursuits. The exercise or movement can be a quiet walk alone in nature or a wild dance aerobics class. If mobility is an issue, try water aerobics or pool walking. The water helps reduce impact and many pools have chair lifts to get you in and out safely. The key to any fitness routine is doing it regularly.
Yoga
Yoga can help manage anxiety and improve recovery. It can help you to regain flexibility if you spent a significant amount in bed before and/or after surgeries. Try taking a local class before and after surgery. Be sure to let the teacher know if you have any limitations or injuries and check with your doctor to make sure it is safe. If you cannot get on the floor, look for Chair Yoga Classes. Try this Whole Body Chair Yoga Class video.