Heart Surgery Recovery

It is critical to prepare for recovery after heart surgery and determine how you will aid your body. Here are two simples ways you can improve recovery after heart surgery.

1. Make Beneficial Eating Choices

• High-Fiber Foods: A high-fiber diet will normalize bowel movements while lowering cholesterol levels. You can find natural fiber in whole grains, oatmeal, and fruits and vegetables that are not canned.

• Fruits and Vegetables: Loading your plate with fruits and vegetables increases your intakes of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Try leafy greens like kale or spinach and citrus fruits high in vitamin C.

After heart surgery, it’s normal to want to return to everyday activities. Your routine will occur with time, but first, your body needs proper rest to heal the sternum after the procedure. To ensure that you recover and advance at the appropriate rate, there are precautions to take for sternum stabilization.

1. Avoid Lifting Heavy Weights

It can be difficult to adjust to limited exercises, but it will help speed up recovery time. If you are used to performing arm exercises, do not lift anything heavier than ten pounds. For the first eight weeks of your recovery, you should only raise one-half or one pound weights to improve sternum stabilization. Ten bicep curls on each side is a gentle start. Make sure to have a pillow or some form of security harness to protect your sternum.

With medical technology these days, these procedures can be considered somewhat “minor”; however, recovery time is not overnight. So proper preparation is key to a successful recovery. 

Open heart surgery is a stressful undertaking from beginning to end. However, knowing what to expect every step of the way can make things easier and more comfortable--so today, we're going to explore the recovery process (and all that goes with it).

The Recovery Process

Recovering from open-heart surgery isn't a straight path, and it looks a little different for everyone. Your doctor will fill you in on specific details and recommendations--but what about the day-to-day questions and uncertainties? Luckily, with a little help--and all the right information, of course--recovery can be easy, comfortable, and quick.

Here are a few things you can expect when recovering from open-heart surgery!