Improving physical and mental fitness before surgery

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Recently I was talking to a 75-year-old lady about how to get good results after her impending knee replacement surgery. As is my routine I discussed the importance of meeting my dietician and getting a proper diet sorted out. A proper pre-surgery diet usually helps build more protein in the system. We have noticed that people usually above 70 many times show signs of malnourishment and especially lack protein in their diet. The reasons for malnourishment can be many like staying all alone so a lethargy in cooking a meal for oneself. So, we typically ask these elderly patients to consult a dietician pre-surgery.

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We then discussed the exercises to be started before the surgery. Following a dedicated exercise routine before surgery reduces the length of stay in the hospital according to a latest study. Regular exercise also builds a better heart and lung function which helps recovery post-surgery. If the patient knows what exercises are to be done pre-surgery then the anxiety levels also go down.

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This lady listened carefully and nodded her head in agreement. Then she asked me a critical question! “Doc, I have heard that apart from having good physical fitness improving one’s mental fitness also helps a faster recovery, isn’t it?’

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She is obviously right but we surgeons keep hearing about physical fitness only!

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I did a lot of reading and tried to find out how one can improve their mental fitness pre-surgery.

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I found out that doing a few simple things daily can sharpen one’s brain easily. Here are a few simple tricks we all can do daily

1.???? Try and do daily simple activities e.g., brushing your teeth with your left hand (assuming you are right-handed)

2.???? Do simple daily tasks with eyes closed (don’t cut fruits with a knife with eyes closed, though!) for example have your bath with eyes closed.

3.???? Change your daily routine e.g., change the route you take to your workplace or route for your daily shopping

4.???? Mute the movie you are watching at home and try and predict what the actors are trying to say based on their lip movements.

I also landed on a simple tool designed by a German psychiatrist and psychotherapist?Walter Schulte.

The table looks like this

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It is a grid (generally size 5x5) with randomly distributed numbers or letters.

All you have to do is look at the numbers starting from one and progressively identifying them on the grid.

This simple task helps to

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speed up the development of mental perception.

visual directional speed search movement.

improve attention.

stability of vision.

discernment.

directed search capabilities.

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Another simple exercise is to draw a simple figure of a circle or English letters simultaneously with your left and right hands on the same paper.

The last simple exercise is to write the names of colours like red, green blue etc. in a colour other than the mentioned i.e. write red like this red (in blue colour) , then start reading this page pronouncing the colour rather than the word written i.e. red will be read blue!

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Well, use these simple tricks to sharpen your brain even if you are not going under the scalpel anytime soon.