3 Tips For Recovering From Hand Surgery

Hand surgery is a delicate operation involving many important nerve endings and tendons. While recovering from hand surgery, it is important to follow the instructions of your orthopedic surgeon and treat your hand very carefully. Good post-operative care can speed up your recovery time and help you avoid complications and further injury. Here are a few tips for optimal recovery from your hand surgery:

Prepare to Ask for Help

After your surgery, your hand will most likely be immobilized in a cast for weeks. Even if the hand being operated on is your non-dominant hand, getting through daily tasks with only one hand is a huge adjustment. Simple tasks like cleaning, preparing food, and showering will all become much more challenging. You will most likely not be able to drive until your cast is removed.

For these reasons, it's a great idea to ask for help ahead of time. If you can ask for your significant other, parents, or close friends to stay with you and help out as needed, your recovery will be much easier. If you attempt to do everything yourself without the use of one hand, you will soon become frustrated and your recovery process will feel more difficult.

Get Your House Ready

Before your surgery, get your home ready for your recovery. You should have comfortable places to sit with armrests or stacks of pillows so that you can easily rest your hand as needed. Preparing healthy meals and snacks ahead of time that you can simply warm up or grab from the fridge will make your life easier right after your surgery. Have plenty of plastic bags on hand, as you will want to cover your hand when you wash up or shower in order to protect your cast.

Quit Smoking 

If you are a smoker, your surgeon will likely recommend that you cut back or try to quit altogether before your surgery. Smoking has been shown to significantly prolong healing time after surgery, and can also lead to surgical complications. These days, there are many resources available to help you quit smoking, including nicotine replacement therapy and counseling. Knowing that quitting smoking will help you have a speedy and comfortable recovery from your hand surgery may be the motivation you need to quit for good.

By following these tips and following the advice of your surgeon, you will get through your hand surgery recovery as comfortably as possible. Get in touch with professionals such as Town Center Orthopaedic Associates, P.C. for more help