Preparing for Surgery

Your recovery depends on several factors, including the surgery itself, rehabilitation, nutrition, and managing any underlying health issues. Your physical therapist will help guide you during recovery, and there is a lot you can do yourself. Below are key steps you can take before and after surgery to support your recovery.

Before Surgery

Nutrition

Nutrition plays an important role in preparing your body for surgery, supporting healing afterward, and helping you maintain strength during rehabilitation. In the weeks before and after surgery, focus on high-quality protein, adequate amino acids, and key vitamins and minerals that support muscle and bone health.

Support muscle health

• Prioritize protein and amino acids. Protein helps support muscle health before surgery and helps with healing and muscle preservation after surgery.
• Choose whole-food protein sources when possible. Good options include lean meat, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, legumes, and other high-protein foods.
• Consider a protein supplement if needed. A whey protein isolate may be helpful if you are not meeting your protein goals through food alone.
• Aim for adequate daily protein intake. A helpful target is 20–40 g of protein per meal, with a total daily goal of 1–2 g per kg of body weight (about 0.5–0.9 g per lb).
• Start early and continue after surgery. Begin this nutrition focus before surgery and continue for at least 4 weeks after surgery.

Support bone health

• Optimize calcium and vitamin D. These are key to supporting bone health and often need to be supplemented to reach adequate levels:
  • Vitamin D3 (with K2): 1,000–2,000 IU of vitamin D daily
  • Calcium: 1,000 mg daily, through diet or supplementation
  • Vitamin C: 1,000 mg daily
• Regular weight-bearing exercise. Walking and light weights are key to keeping your bones healthy in the long run and reducing the risk of fracture.

Patient safety note: Please review any supplements, vitamins, protein powders, or recovery products with your surgeon or care team before starting them, especially if you take prescription medications, have kidney disease, have a history of kidney stones, are pregnant, or have been told to limit calcium, vitamin D, or protein intake.

Washing and Showering

• Cleaning the area before surgery can reduce the risk of a postoperative infection.
• Wash with soap and water the day before surgery.
• Do not put on any deodorants or lotions the morning of surgery.

After Surgery

Bracing and Immobilization

We often use braces and immobilizers to protect the surgical repair and avoid early failure. Most bone and soft tissue repairs need around 6 weeks to heal enough to support more strenuous activities. Pay special attention to the instructions you are given about brace or immobilizer use after your surgery. You will be fitted with the appropriate equipment before your surgery.

Cold Therapy

Ice is an effective tool to reduce pain and swelling after surgery. This can come in the form of ice packs, a cold therapy unit, or a combined compression and cold therapy unit. We typically recommend a compression and cold therapy unit. This is usually not covered by insurance; our office can help you choose the right option for you.

Sleep

Adequate sleep helps your body prepare for and recover from surgery. Sleeping can often be a challenge after surgery, especially shoulder surgery, so arrange a comfortable sleep setup before your surgery.

After shoulder surgery

• Many people find sleeping at an incline most comfortable, such as in a recliner, on a wedge pillow, or with a shoulder sleeper pillow.
• Find a setup that lets you sleep comfortably while protecting your arm.

After knee surgery

• Most people find sleeping on their back or side most comfortable.
• Use pillows to keep the affected leg elevated and the knee supported.

Dressing and Showering

• Protect the incision. Keeping the incision dry during initial healing is critical. You will be given instructions for caring for your incision, which vary depending on the surgery you had.
• Protect the repair. Getting dressed is often when it is hardest to follow post-operative restrictions, so be especially mindful. Some tips:
  • Choose loose-fitting clothing: button-up shirts instead of T-shirts, shorts or sweatpants instead of jeans, and slip-on shoes or sandals.
  • Change how you dress: put the operative arm through the sleeve first, then your good arm; thread your belt through the loops before putting on pants; sit rather than stand if needed.
  • Ask for help. Having family members assist in the early stages is often helpful.