Day 5: 7 Day Pre-Op Guide
Today is all about movement!
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In the video below, Lauren will show you how to measure your level of fitness with walking before surgery so that you can set realistic goals after surgery.
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Walk outside and inside and find a path where you enjoy the scenery to prepare for your post-op walking. Measure out some common distances with a timer or your watch if you have a Fitbit or Smart Watch so you can set goals for yourself.
Today's Video:
Today's Tip:
Start Moving!
Start walking! Be sure to make an inside walking path and an outside walking path. Write down your heart rate after you've completed your walk.
The Importance of Movement Before and After Surgery:
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By incorporating exercise into your pre-surgery routine, you drastically improve your surgical recovery.
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Getting back into an exercise habit is much more difficult if you are not exercising before surgery, and it is important to have guidance before and after surgery to reduce the risk of injury.
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Exercise after any type of breast surgery is linked to decreased chances of forming blood clots, decreased chances of developing depression and/or emotional mood swings, as well as reducing muscle atrophy and stiff joints.
How to check your heart rate:
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First-find your pulse. You can do this at your wrist or neck.
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Feel for your windpipe in your neck and move your fingers just to the outside of this spot and you should feel your heart beating here.
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Your radial pulse is located on the thumb side of the inside of your wrist.
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Using a stop watch, the second hand on your clock, or kitchen timer, count the beats in either 30 seconds or 60 seconds.
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If you count the number of beats felt in 30 seconds, just take that number times 2 and that's your heart rate.
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If you count it in 60 seconds, the total number of beats is your heart rate.
**Knowing your resting heart rate is important. Write this number down somewhere and that way you will have a baseline if your doctor wants you to keep your heart rate in check after surgery. **