What type of exercises can I do for post foot surgery?

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dlucio1
dlucio1 Posts: 25 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello all. Well I gained 10 lbs overnight having foot surgery, ended up losing 4 lbs, but noticed I gained 2 lbs overnight, so I am eating more than I should. It's hard cause I can't move around. how can I exercise? I'm going to b home bound for 8 wks. Since I'm also not moving around much, I don't know how many calories I should b consuming for wt loss and I especially want to know, what type of exercises can I do?

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  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    The ones your physical therapist or dr recommend, and nothing else unless you are sure it is dr approved.
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
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    Eat the amount of calories MFP gives you. Maybe if you haven't already, change the setting to sedentary for the time being since you won't be moving around much.

    Maybe don't have too high of a deficit right now because your body needs to heal. That's what I would do in this situation.

    And yes, don't do anything unless it is approved by your doctor.
  • STEVE142142
    STEVE142142 Posts: 867 Member
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    Physically impossible to gain 10 pounds overnight and then lose 4 pounds the next day. What you're probably experiencing is temporary water game because of some of the medications. What's probably causing the hunger is possibly the medication you're taking . Your body has to fix itself. I speak with experience as I had a double hip replacement last year. It will take you awhile to get back into shape but you need to let your body fix it self.

    As far as exercises don't do anything until you talk to your doctor. Remember your feet carry all your weighy and if you put any undue stress depending on the type of surgery you had you could do some serious damage to the repair the doctor did.
  • socioseguro
    socioseguro Posts: 1,679 Member
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    @dlucio1:
    I had 3 leg surgeries a while ago and I could not put my impacted foot in the ground for 5 months. Of course I could not exercise as I wanted. The only physical activity I could have was my physical therapy 3 times a week.
    Ask your doctor for a referral.
    The majority of insurance covers a fixed amount of post surgery therapy per year.
    Good luck in your recovery
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
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    Just be sure to adjust your "calories in" to account for what you're not burning in activity!!

    Just don't do what *I* did after foot surgery--which was continue eating like I was working out 3X per week!

    I gained 16 lbs in the 8 weeks my foot could not touch the ground before physical therapy even started. . and then continued to gain once I started PT by pretending to myself that those hour-long PT sessions were really cardio workouts. Net result? At my one-year post-surgery checkup, my foot was fine, but I'd gained nearly 45 lbs. And it took me the next 6 months to take it back off again.
  • dlucio1
    dlucio1 Posts: 25 Member
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    YES. Maybe the IV fluids and meds made me gain the wt over night? I'm not suppose to be on my feet for 2 mos. Its depressing really. How we really take for granted the walking we do, now this surgery and I'm paranoid of gaining. But the advice given here is more important than anything else. I'll see my doctor tomorrow and ask. I'm ashamed cause I've could of done more, worked harder on my logging, exercise, etc. now I'm on my *kitten* regretting. Thx u all.
  • meritage4
    meritage4 Posts: 1,441 Member
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    Either crutches or wheelchair allow you to exercise. Both burn plenty of calories moving around.
  • dlucio1
    dlucio1 Posts: 25 Member
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    Oh wow! Didn't think of that. I'm on a knee skooter and yeah I noticed I get tired using it. Hmm.
  • STEVE142142
    STEVE142142 Posts: 867 Member
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    I don't know how long ago you had your surgery but what you have to remember is it takes your body a long time to recover. Your body is expending a lot of energy fixing itself right now.

    A lot of people can offer you advice on how long it'll take you to recover and what you can do but what you have to remember is your body's going to recover at its own pace based on your genetics. The most important thing you can do is to listen to your body talk to your doctor and the both of you work out a plan. Remember you're on a lifetime Journey not a quick Sprint
  • Bob314159
    Bob314159 Posts: 1,178 Member
    edited June 2016
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    Water retention after general anesthesia is very common.

    I had major ankle/foot surgery and spent a week after, discharging tons of water.

    I was in a manual wheelchair for 3 months, pushing myself everywhere - though I would lose weight, but the doctors told me it doesn't burn that much. But it stopped my gaining.
  • dlucio1
    dlucio1 Posts: 25 Member
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    Letting u all know I lost the 10lbs. Ahw. What a relief. It's weird I bn eating more than I should. Seemed to b very hungry even after eating 1,600 calories. I think my body is burning more than usual because of the recovery/healing?
  • seafoam2u
    seafoam2u Posts: 2 Member
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    Surely there are some upper body excercises that could be done whilst sitting. I can think of dumbbell lifting for example. I actually came to this forum looking to see if anyone had good suggestions for in the home that didn't involve equipment that has to be bought.
  • Bob314159
    Bob314159 Posts: 1,178 Member
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    All I know is I build up my arm muscles more than I ever saw before from pushing hard and fast on the wheelchair and from "walking" upstairs by crawling backwards, but didn't lose an ounce of weight.
  • seafoam2u
    seafoam2u Posts: 2 Member
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    That is disappointing for you, but maybe it did help to keep the weight off. I don't think excercises necessarily make you lose weight, they are just another tool in the box which help. Also it is fun to be able to add them to the excercise area within this app, - I am such a computer geek! :-D

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