Exercise and convalescence
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Exercise and convalescence
Exercise plays a key role in convalescence, with patients often encouraged to get up and start moving the day after surgery. Physiotherapy commences immediately because movement is much better than remaining in bed all day, which can result in complications and slow or poor recovery. This is done in a gradual and gentle fashion appropriate for each person. It can be as simple as a short walk around the house or doing some gentle stretches whilst sitting or lying down.
Having a very gentle and caring approach to the way we exercise during convalescence helps regain strength and fitness and offers an opportunity to develop a new relationship with our body. This is crucial because often before we were ill or injured we may have had a poor relationship with our body, in terms of not being very aware of what care and choices our body needed, or not making these choices.
A gentle and caring approach can then be taken into every part of our day, the way we dress ourselves, prepare and eat food and even the way we move in activities of everyday living. Being gentle and caring with yourself and your body, is telling yourself that you are worth being cared for in this way, and therefore worth making healthy choices for.
There can often be anger and resentment regarding the illness or injury. This can be associated with becoming aware of any lack of self-regard or unhealthy lifestyle choices we had that lead to the illness or injury. If we allow ourselves to connect to these feelings we will have the opportunity to gain greater awareness of what is needed to support ourselves from here forward.
Learning to be understanding and gentle and not rushed or forced allows plenty of space and time to heal any anger and resentment about the situation and also develops a new and caring way of being with our body.
Sometimes this transition is not easy, as we often have a history of a harder or unhealthy way of being in terms of our actions and choices, which is why time is needed to convalesce so that we can move gently and naturally through this period, bringing many healing realisations.
Gentle exercise and movement provides a way to more deeply connect with what we are feeling in our body and is needed during times of convalescence to re-build strength, fitness and a new supportive way to be with our body.
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