Does exercise before surgery help with recovery and weight loss?

[Ivanova8 77]

Hi everyone. I'm wondering if a regular exercise program before surgery will help with your recovery, weight loss and the dreaded skin sag?

I've heard that if you have more muscle before surgery you'll burn fat better and you'll possibly have less saggy skin issues. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[McButterpants 2,846]

I can't say if it helped with saggy skin, but I believe it helped with recovery.

I started walking and going to the gym religiously about 6 weeks prior to surgery - after surgery, I was up and walking immediately. I really believe that not matter what surgery you are having if you are in good shape, you will recover faster.

For sagging skin, I'm 10 months out and have batwings under my arms, my tummy has stretchmarks and sags, and I have some sagging in my inner thighs. That's what losing 73 pounds and being 45 years old looks like. It's my tax for letting my life get out of control for 25 years. I wear it as a badge of honor - I earned the sagging skin by walking hundreds of miles (about 800 since surgery), drinking hundreds of Protein shakes and enduring mental and physical pain during this process.

[Beni 1,484]

I am 26 days from surgery. I am exercising because I think it's a must and my doctor requires it. He and the NUT say it is crucial for my success. My experience when I had an emergency c-section was that I wished I could have depended on muscle to be able to do more once the pain meds wore off. Because I couldn't use my abs to get up from bed or even a chair I had to use arm and leg muscles. They were not up to the task because I was heavy after having a baby. We are going to have to walk post surgery to prevent blood clots, pneumonia and Constipation. If our muscles are not there getting up from bed is going to be even more difficult. I also like to think that with cardio our hearts will be a little more fit for the anesthesia. But of course this is my opinion.

By the way I don't do anything crazy, I just walk the treadmill, and do a few videos (yes, I said videos, that's how old they are) at home with weights and other exercises. I also find some TV content in the morning with aerobic classes. I have Direct TV. I am not ready for a gym yet as I am a snail at doing any of this but I try because I need to learn to take care of me.

[Katcloudshepherd 630]

Hello y'all,

I'm so VERY GLAD I went to the pool for years before my surgery. I flat out didn't give a frack what other people thought about me in my bathing suit. You don't like what I look like--tough titties. I can't imagine recovery without the muscles I was able to develop during Water aerobics. Didn't help with my sagging skin but I'm 49 so I think that has much to do with it.

I'm going through Venus Freeze treatments on my arms. Next I'll do my legs and then my abdomen/torso. Not inexpensive but much less than plastic surgery. I'm hoping to avoid plastic surgery. I had the Venus Freeze on my neck and it worked well.

Blessings,

Kathleen

[James Marusek 5,244]

Daily walking prior to surgery and after definitely helped me in the recovery process after surgery.

[Bandista 7,466]

I'm so glad I got myself into a routine beforehand so I had something to step into right after surgery. Kicked my body into healing mode and made the whole recovery process so much better. Had to talk myself into it but after faking liking exercise for months then one day the magic happened and I thrive on it now. Can't believe I'm the same person!

[slvrsax 301]

I knew that exercise would be the hardest part of this journey because I HATED exercise, so I started looking for something "tolerable" 2 months before surgery. I really do believe it helped with healing post surgery. I had a blood clot 21 years ago and knew I was susceptible to another, exercise helped my circulation and probably aided my recovery. I was doing 2-3 hours of Zumba a week for 2 months pre-surgery. Doesn't sound like much but it was all I could handle at 280 lbs.

Fast forward 9 months, I LOVE exercise now! I take Zumba classes 4 days a week plus strength training. I can relate to what Bandista says, that I can't believe I'm the same person. I am quite irritated that I have to miss my class tonight for a work related dinner, since when do I prefer exercise to eating? Miraculous I tell ya!

[Forsythia 882]

I've always been an exerciser. Exercise was never my issue. Eating was. I like hitting the weight room and swimming and even grudgingly doing the cardio. I do think it helps to be fit before hand. Because you are gonna lose muscle along with the fat - its just the nature of the beast at the beginning. So it helps to have more muscle around to help limit that loss. It also helps with a quicker recovery if you are in better condition. A better conditioned body will definitely bounce back quicker than one that is more out of shape. So every little bit helps, even if that is only 15 minutes on a treadmill every day.

[Ivanova8 77]

Thank you everyone for your insights on exercise. I see that it can help with recovery. And I especially like the point that was made about getting up from the bed and needing to use your core muscles. And walking as much as you can as soon after surgery as you can. I read that a lot so it must be really important.

Disappointing to hear though that trying to prevent saggy skin is not really possible if you lose a lot of weight....and I hope I do!

I go to the gym now kicking and screaming but I'd love to see a turnaround where I actually looked forward to it. Now that would be something!

Continued success to everyone on your weight loss journeys!

[labwalker 1,177]

And cardio workouts are good for your heart, which is under a lot of strain during surgery. I'd say being in shape increase the odds of not having a major complication during surgery.

[Ivanova8 77]

@@labwalker Complications are scary too. At a support group meeting at the hospital (they allow pre-ops to come) the social worker mentioned that they have had someone there now for 2 months after their surgery. Definitely a wake up call reminder that this is major surgery.

[Ivanova8 77]

@@Katcloudshepherd The Venus freeze treatments sound interesting. Please let us know how they work on your legs too. It's encouraging to hear that you liked the results on your neck. Good luck!

[McButterpants 2,846]

There are so many factors in the saggy skin area - your age, how many years you've been overweight, genetics, etc.

Just because I have some saggy skin, doesn't mean you will. For me, the trade off was totally worth it.

[Ivanova8 77]

Thanks for that reminder McButterpants. I'm trying to keep in mind too what is more important. Being fat with no saggy skin or being healthy with (possibly) saggy skin. It the big picture of life it's really a no brainer.

Edited October 3, 2014 by Ivanova8

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

I definitely think exercising helped not only with my recovery but also the surgery in general. My doctor did a scan on legs because he wanted to do a IVC filter due to my size. I think they were surprised that my veins clear. However I had been taking Water aerobics regularly for over 3 years prior to my surgery. My surgery itself was breeze. I was up and walking in recovery and had no pain in the hospital or at discharge. It's less of a challenge to exercise when you already are used to working out. I too, could care less about what people think at the gym. I wear my bathing suit to the pool and could care less what anyone thinks.