Nutrition after Total Knee Replacement - Part One (healing)

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 I am not a health food nut by any means but with a TKR coming up I decided to obsess over nutrition for pain control and healing.  So spanning the globe for knowledge this is what I have learned so far.  

I feel none of the below will make or break an individuals recovery time or pain control as there are thousands of things that contribute - HOWEVER - why not do what you can when it's game time.  

I found a couple of very good articles on the net to geek out on. 

Recovery Timeline for TKR: Rehabilitation Stages and Physical Therapy

and if you really want to know what happens on a cellular level this is a fascinating article 

Healing Phases and Nutrition

BEFORE Surgery 

From UW Sports Health  - A well-balanced, nutritious diet will improve your body's ability to heal after surgery. To optimize your nutrition and health, we recommend  

Avoid gas-forming foods in the few days before surgery. These foods include: Apples Avocados Beans Broccoli Brussel Sprouts Cabbage Cantaloupe Cauliflower Corn Cucumber Honeydew Melon Lentils Onions Peas Radishes Sauerkraut Turnips Watermelon

Outpatient keen surgery  Dr. Richard Bergers and a few other TKR sites suggests after the procedure

Water Immediately following surgery, the patient’s body contains anesthesia and medications. These drugs tend to dehydrate the patient, which is why pushing fluids is vital following joint replacement. The more water a patient drinks, the sooner the anesthesia will be flushed out. Hydration also helps decrease constipation, a common side effect of anesthesia and some pain medications.

Electrolytes While hydrating, patients should keep in mind the importance of electrolytes. Drinking too much water without electrolytes can throw off the balance of electrolytes in the body. Any fluid shifts caused by anesthesia during surgery would benefit from electrolyte intake post-operatively. Pedialyte serves as an appropriate source of hydration that does not contain as many added sugars as Gatorade (but this too works as a source of electrolytes).

Chewing Gum While hydrating with electrolytes may be common sense, chewing gum may seem a bit odd. However, studies have shown that chewing gum after surgery can increase gastrointestinal motility. Aiding in digestion, gum-chewing can help prevent constipation, a common effect of anesthesia and postoperative narcotics.

Then there are nutrients that are so important for recovery.

Omega-3s Due to their anti-inflammatory properties, omega-3 fatty acids have been proven to relieve joint pain and swelling.

Ginger Ginger contains a complex mix of compounds, which researchers suspect helps reduce inflammation in several ways. In Eastern Medicine, ginger has long been used to treat musculoskeletal problems. In addition to its inflammation-cooling properties, ginger might have anti-cancer properties as well. There are many ways to get more ginger in your diet, such as using it when cooking or drinking ginger tea.

Magnesium In the body, magnesium works as both a pain reliever and muscle relaxer. Before and after joint replacement surgery, be sure to eat foods rich in magnesium, like leafy green vegetables, or take a magnesium supplement.  Check out the link for much more on Magnesium for sleeping and restless leg syndrome after surgery.

Glucosamine and chondroitin  Glucosamine and chondroitin are precursors to a protein called proteoglycans, the building block for the cartilage that cushions your joints. While glucosamine helps build and repair this cartilage, chondroitin helps keep it from breaking down. Most supplements that contain both glucosamine and chondroitin come from animal sources

Fun Fact - at first your cartilage cells start repairing sort of randomly. This is why the PT people WANT you to get up and move around so the cells start to heal the correct way - up and down as opposed to just willy nilly!   GET UP AND MOVE!! 

Protein: Protein is a key nutrient for healing.  Eating enough protein is essential to help your body heal and fight infection after surgery. Try to eat at least two to three servings per day. Excellent sources of protein include: beef, fish, poultry, eggs, cheese, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, dried beans, nuts, seeds, peanut butter, and protein drinks. Add protein to your diet wherever you can; mix dry milk powder into your regular milk, scrambled eggs, soups, and casseroles. Add ground meats to soups or casseroles. Nibble on nuts or cheese as a snack.

Iron:
Although there is not much blood lost in surgery, iron-rich foods can help patients build up their blood stores. Foods high in iron include red meats, leafy green vegetables (such as spinach and kale), beans, and dried fruit. Iron is needed to build up hemoglobin in your blood and prevent anemia. Hemoglobin carries oxygen throughout your body. If your hemoglobin level is low, you may feel tired, dizzy and weak, or get short of breath easily. Non-meat iron-containing foods can be better used by your body by eating foods rich in vitamin C with them.

Vitamin C and Zinc  These two substances can help boost your immune system and ward off viruses and infections.  Zinc takes an important role in cell regrowth as well as keeping your immunity up so making sure you get your daily amount (about eleven grams for men and eight grams for women) will help make your recovery a breeze. With meat being the highest source, you’ll find at least 5 grams towards your daily goal in beef and oysters, 3 grams in turkey, pork, and veal, and although the levels are much lower, those living the vegetarian life will rejoice knowing nuts and seeds also contain the zinc they need.

Calcium and Vitamin D - are the two most important nutrients needed for healthy bones. Because calcium is not made in our bodies, we have to eat calcium-rich foods to absorb the nutrient. Calcium serves as a crucial building block of bone tissue. Our bodies need a bit of help absorbing calcium, and that is where vitamin D comes in. Vitamin D helps us effectively absorb calcium from the foods we eat. While there are plenty of foods around us containing calcium, it is more challenging to find foods with significant amounts of vitamin D. For instance, fish is one of the primary foods with a substantial natural level of vitamin D. Many choose to take a supplement to get a little vitamin D into their life.

Calcium helps build and maintain your bones, your muscles move, your blood clot and your nerves send messages. Good sources include milk, yogurt, cheese, canned salmon and sardines (with the bones). Smaller amounts of calcium are also found in beans and lentils, broccoli, kale, bok choy and oranges.

 Vitamin D (normally combined with Calcium) plays an important role in bone health because it helps to increase bone density. It helps your body absorb calcium and strengthens your immune system. Most people need to take a vitamin D supplement because adequate vitamin D is not available from most food, nor is it available from the sun during most months of the year. The good news is that quality vitamin D supplements are inexpensive and readily available.

Fiber helps your body produce regular bowel movements.

Vitamin B12 -and folate/folic acid, are important nutrients to prevent other types of non-iron-related anemia. Good sources of vitamin B12 include fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk and milk products. Good sources of folate/folic acid include leafy green vegetable, dry beans and peas, fortified grains and orange juice. When you are older than 50, you do not absorb vitamin B12 as well as when you were younger, so you need to increase your intake B12-rich foods or take a multivitamin with minerals.

I'll be adding to this as I do more research.

Carry on

MY TKR is scheduled January 2. SADLY - no alcohol a few days before that!