If you don't get up and move around, your organs will get stuck together.

"I just had surgery, I need to rest well..."

"It takes a hundred days to heal a broken bone..."

"You can't get out of bed, go to bed and lie down to rest..."

Whether you have undergone surgery or have cared for a patient post-operatively, you have undoubtedly heard or said this statement.

Even in TV dramas, most of the scenes show patients resting in bed after surgery, surrounded by their family members to care for them.

For most Chinese people, staying in bed and resting is the "standard" for recovery after surgery.

Whether you have a broken bone or appendicitis, whether you have cancer or a caesarean section, just lie down and recuperate.

But is this really the case? Is rest really good?

At the beginning of this year, Aunt Liu was admitted to the hospital for surgery due to a fractured neck of her right leg.

After the operation, due to the pain in the wound and the influence of the idea that "it takes a hundred days to heal a broken bone", I was bedridden for more than two months.

During the follow-up visit, the doctor told Aunt Liu: "If you continue to lie like this, you will have to undergo a second operation and treatment!"

Aunt Liu's daughter told the doctor, "My mother refuses to walk at home except to go to the toilet. Today she is in pain, tomorrow she is swollen, and the day after tomorrow she is afraid that her legs will become deformed if she walks too much. In short, she refuses to move at all..."

The operation was obviously successful and everything was normal when he was discharged from the hospital. How come his condition became so serious after he lay down for a while?

In fact, resting after surgery is a big mistake!

Postoperative recovery is definitely not the same as resting. You must not sit still because of fear of pain or other reasons.

In the hospital, there were two patients who underwent the same thoracic surgery at the same time.

One patient thought it was incredible that he was able to get out of bed just a few days after the operation, and insisted on staying in bed to rest.

Another patient resumed normal life in two months after the operation, from slight movements with the help of a bed at the beginning to independent walking in the later stage, without any sequelae.

In contrast, the patient who was resting in bed developed a lung infection shortly after the operation, which not only increased the cost of postoperative treatment, but also caused him to suffer from complications of the disease.

For patients after surgery, proper exercise while ensuring that the wound does not split can not only prevent adhesion of the incision, but also help the affected area grow. If you just stay still and do nothing, it may cause complications such as muscle atrophy.

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Bed rest after surgery will cause muscle strength to decrease by 10-15% per week, which will lead to muscle atrophy in the long term.

In addition, a series of problems may occur, including osteoporosis, decreased cardiopulmonary function, organ infection, constipation, bedsores, and blood clots.

Patients who are unable to move around also need rehabilitation training.

Doctors pointed out that family members' assistance in limb movements, turning over, massaging, hot compress therapy, etc. can "stimulate" muscles to a certain extent and reduce complications such as muscle atrophy caused by long-term bed rest.

Pay attention to 4 points during postoperative recovery

1. Doctor's guidance and appropriate exercise

Generally, after surgery, you can follow the doctor's instructions and slowly perform functional training, gradually increasing the amount of activity, and exercising to a level that does not make you feel tired.

In the early stages of rehabilitation activities, you may feel pain and discomfort. It is recommended to proceed step by step and do what you can. If you feel uncomfortable, take a short break before continuing the exercise.

2. Timely attention and regular follow-up

Within three years after surgery, you should follow the doctor's advice, undergo regular checkups and follow-ups as required, and adjust your rehabilitation methods in a timely manner based on the doctor's advice.

3. Supplement nutrition and get more sun exposure

After surgery, everyone has different physical conditions and recovery speeds. Wound healing is a slow process and most patients will feel physically weak.

Therefore, after surgery, you should try to increase your appetite, eat a reasonable diet, and eat light and easy-to-digest food. You can eat small meals frequently to increase your nutritional intake.

The disease not only makes the patient physically exhausted, but also makes him suffer psychologically. Anxiety and depression are common psychological problems for patients after surgery.

At this time, psychological counseling and the release of negative emotions are particularly important, which can allow patients to communicate more with their families and other patients, and ensure sufficient and appropriate sleep time.

You can also go out for a walk more often to get rid of the exhaustion caused by the disease and help patients recover better!