Coach Heather Binns’s here… One year ago today, I had surgery to fix a labral tear in my right hip.
I’ve been an athlete almost all my life, so some wear & tear was inevitable. However, only since I began coaching my clients back in 2006, did I pay close attention to proper form.
Anyone who has attended any fitness coaching sessions at Renov8 Fitness knows I am a stickler for form. It is what will help you get the most out of your exercise and prevent injury.
Now that I am one-year post-op, I am even more grateful to have the knowledge and resources to instill great form and technique to everyone I work with, virtually or in person. My hope is that you can avoid injuries and surgeries, get – and stay – in the best shape of your life, and find your athlete within!
And if surgery is inevitable at any point in life, it helps to going into surgery in good health.
I made it a point to make myself as strong, fit, and healthy as I could go into surgery, so I could recover properly and quickly.
Then post-surgery, recovery is the #1 priority!
I made sure to add anti-inflammatory methods into my daily routine to help with my recovery and reduce unnecessary inflammation.
Some inflammation is good, as that is our body’s natural way of healing and protecting itself. But there are numerous things you can do to give your body a little push forward, such as making changes to your nutrition.
For example, eating more plant-based for a while is ideal post-surgery because it’s naturally anti-inflammatory. It also helps restore gut health (antibiotics wreak havoc on your intestines) and speeds up the recovery process.
Additionally, a lack of mobility can really get you down, so I highly recommend looking for the silver linings in a recovery journey.
One good example was when I dropped all my medications & vitamins on the floor. With crutches and a hip brace, I couldn’t bend down to pick them up. My husband wasn’t around either, so it was up to me to figure this out.
So, what did I do?
Some single-leg deadlifts. A little fitness for the win!
Doing those deadlifts gave me a sense of deep gratitude for the strength, mobility, proper form, and technique I’ve developed over the years. Otherwise, my medications & vitamins would have stayed on the floor all day until my husband came home from work.
Until we are incapacitated in some way, we really take for granted the ability to move on our own. It may seem small to be able to stand up and sit down without assistance, but if you have ever had hip surgery or something similar, you know it’s a big deal!
A few final recommendations I have for you to enhance post-surgery recovery include:
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Learning how to use and manipulate the muscles that you can use to help out when your caregivers are not around.
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Ice and elevate the area, if recommended by your doctor, but still make sure to get up and move (if possible), so you don’t get too stagnant and stiff.
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Go outside and sit in the sun for 15-20 minutes to get vitamin D. It aids in recovery and keeps your mood elevated.
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Take deep breaths every hour followed by a few coughs to keep your respiratory muscles active and prevent respiratory infection due to decreased activity.
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Drink lots and lots of water to stay hydrated.
Basically, this is everything I coach my clients to do post-surgery if it ever must happen.
So, I urge you today…don’t wait another day to start taking small steps towards improving your health and taking care of the one body God gave you.
Reach out if need be…I’m here to help you live a limitless life!
