6 Things To Do While Healing From A Fracture After Surgery

Recovering from a fracture is a slow process. It can be extremely dull and boring due to the limitations experienced from your broken bones. Understand that your bones need rest to fully recover and the best way to give them rest is by taking it slow. To help you pass the time and speed up your recovery, follow these 5 simple ideas.

Try These 6 Things While on Bed Rest After Surgery:

1- Focus on Nutrition

The key to a quicker recovery is nutrition. As such, nutrition should be a major focus during your recovery. This may include

• trying new nutritious recipes,
• investing in a recovery-focused supplement, or
• researching the fracture healing process and how nutrition can help.

To give you a jump start, here are a few nutrients you should focus on: protein, antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and minerals.

Protein:

You have an increased energy demand when you are recovering from surgery. You will need adequate protein, more than you normally would, to meet those energy demands.

Antioxidants:

Antioxidants help reduce the damage inflicted by free radicals. Free radicals cause many problems, including inflammation.

Anti-inflammatories:

Natural anti-inflammatories, such as vitamin c, omega-3 fatty acids, and quercetin, can help reduce inflammation. Doing so can help improve overall healing.

Minerals:

Minerals make up 70% of your bones. This includes minerals such as calcium, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, and selenium. In order to heal, your body requires these minerals to rebuild the broken bone.

As you can see, there is a lot to learn about the relationship between fracture recovery and nutrition. During, even before, your recovery, take the time to learn what your body needs.

Shop Forté Fracture Healing Supplement

2- The Internet

The Internet is full of activities to help keep you entertained and help pass the time. Make a list of movies and TV shows you have always wanted to watch but have never gotten around to watching¹. Discover new music artists on sites such as Spotify, Pandora, and YouTube¹. Start a blog or a new social media page about any topic you’re passionate about.

3- Set Goals for the Future

Normally, our days are busy making it hard to find time to think about our future².  However, now that you are sidelined from your daily activities, you have time to make some goals. Create a list of goals for the foreseeable future and what you can do to accomplish them. If you are a teen, research future career and colleges you are interested in. If you are an adult, look for ways to improve your life whether it is your career or your lifestyle. Finally, if you are an elderly, plan a trip to a place you have always wanted to go visit but have never set time aside too.

4- Reflect and Meditate

Practicing meditation is great for relaxation for body and mind³. It is good to feel relaxed during recovery to avoid feelings of stress and frustration, and meditation can help do so. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing to meditate¹. Start a journal if you do not already have one where you can write your thoughts and your post-surgery experiences¹. This way you can look at back at the progress you have made day by day and stay positive.

5- Reading, Games, and Other Activities

Pick up a good book and dive right into it²! If you do not enjoy reading, listen to an audio book. They are also a good way to pass the time¹. Play games with family or friends or on your own. If your fracture does not prevent you, go on a walk around your neighborhood and breathe some fresh air¹. If you are limited to moving around, have someone take you on a drive. Recovering from a fracture can be tedious, you don’t wait to be stuck inside the whole time.

6- Learn New Skills

Push yourself to learn a new skill. Learn how to

• play an instrument,
• how to sing,
• a new language,
• first aid,
• drawing, or
• cooking⁴.

Learn new software that interests you such as

• Photoshop for images,
• Premiere Pro for video editing, or
• Microsoft office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).

Any skill that catches your attention, spend time learning it because it will not only help you pass the time, but it might benefit your future.

(2015, January 29). Beat Boredom: 60 Things To Do After Surgery. Retrieved January 18, 2017, from http://www.surgerysupplements.com/things-to-do-while-you-recover-from-surgery/

(n.d.). How do I (MBBS student) pass time while on bed rest because of a fracture? Retrieved January 18, 2017, from https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-MBBS-student-pass-time-while-on-bed-rest-because-of-a-fracture

How to Meditate. (2017). Retrieved January 18, 2017, from http://www.how-to-meditate.org/

Roncero-Menendez, S. (2013, December 27). 10 New Skills You Can Learn in 6 Months. Retrieved January 18, 2017, from http://mashable.com/2013/12/27/six-month-skills/#6esjeBfQ4gqI