General health

After surgery, decreased mobility during the healing process can increase the risk of blood clots.  You can help prevent this by:

• Ensuring that you take medication as prescribed and for the length of time prescribed. 
• Ensuring that you follow the post-operative exercises given to you by your surgeon and physiotherapist.
• Ensuring that you get up and move frequently.

Sugar levels that are too high can increase the risk of infection and increase hospital stay length after surgery. Answer the following questions to see if this is a concern for you. 

Have you been screened for diabetes? Known risk factors for diabetes are:

• > 40 years of age
• Family history of diabetes
• Personal history of gestational diabetes or pre-diabetes
• Personal history of hypertension, dyslipidemia, glucocorticoid treatment
• BMI of > 25kg/m2

If you are a diabetic, do you know...

• What is your HBA1c? 
• When was it last taken? 
• Is it less than 7%? 

We recommend making an appointment with your Family Doctor to discuss this.

Prevent lung problems before and after your surgery and get home and back to your daily activities faster. Use the COUGH.

Cough & Deep Breathe: after surgery take deep breaths and cough to clear lungs.

Oral Health: keep your teeth + gums clean to prevent germs

Understanding: take an active part in your own recovery by understanding your role

Get Out of Bed: moving helps clear secretions from lungs.

Head of Bed Elevated: helps you breath after your operation

Managing your pain may be an important step during any prehabilitation or rehabilitation that you are performing.  Connecting with your family doctor is an important place to start for advice on how to manage your pain. 

Online resources

 lifeisnow.ca is a website designed to provide resources for people to learn how to manage their own pain. A number of their resources are available for free. They focus on:  

1. Gaining knowledge
2. Mindful breathing
3. Body awareness
4. Calm movement challenge
5. Pain care for life

In addition, please see the local resources section on the exercise page.

Please visit http://oasis.vch.ca/media/OASIS-Hand-Osteoarthritis-Protecting-Your-legs-feet.pdf to learn more on protecting your joints in your legs and feet.