Nutrition is essential to positive surgical outcomes. Hospital studies have shown that as many as 50% of patients are undernourished or malnourished. That’s why I am committed to better patient outcomes through nutrition. I want to help you maximize your health prior to and after joint replacement surgery so that you can maximize your outcome.
The nutrients we get from our food fuel our body. Proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals all contribute to our biological activity. When preparing for joint replacement, it is important to understand the implications of surgery for your body.
Eating healthy foods with a balanced diet will help speed up your recovery while poor nutrition slows down the healing process and increases susceptibility to infections. That’s why immunonutrition is so important prior to surgery.
After surgery, your body will be working hard to heal itself. An increase in fatigue and inflammation and the increased need for energy all require proper nutrition to help your body heal.
Essential nutrients for better joint replacement outcomes include:
- High quality proteins
- Complex carbohydrates
- Anti-inflammatory fats
- Calcium
- Vitamins
Check out these foods to eat before and after surgery to provide your body with these essential nutrients it needs for healing after joint replacement.
Nutrition is essential to positive surgical outcomes. Begin today eating foods that will maximize your health prior to and after surgery so that you can maximize your surgical outcome.
Dr. Paul Jacob is a leading hip and knee surgeon in Oklahoma City who pioneered robotic joint replacement surgery in an outpatient setting. Dr. Jacob has performed over 5000 robotic joint replacement procedures and actively participates in numerous research studies on robotic outcomes.
Enhancing Patient Outcomes with Clinical Nutrition: The Effects of Supplementation in Orthopedics
