When and how you can begin exercise routines after major surgery will vary with the type of treatment you had. Most physicians will recommend at least a week, sometimes 6-12 weeks, of recuperation before even attempting regular routines. Consult your physician.

Most people will want to perform some kind of toning exercises and probably induce some weight loss. Most surgery reduces the metabolic and activity level – leading to weight gain and flabbiness.

Be sure to keep well hydrated, no matter what form of exercise you perform. This is helpful in order to keep the endocrine system functioning properly and aids the process that keeps joints lubricated.

Take it slow and return to your pre-operative level gradually. Here are some specific exercises for two different types of surgery. Again, consult your physician first.

Breast Surgery

About a week after surgery, you’ll still be experiencing discomfort. But recovery will be aided by some simple arm exercises. Perform steady breathing during the following:

Lift the arm on the operative side and simulate hair brushing and eating. Do a few reps at most the first few times. Raise that same arm above the heart for an hour, two to three times per day in order to reduce swelling. With the arm raised, gradually open and close the hand, building up to clenching a tennis ball as the discomfort decreases. Alternately bend and straighten the elbow.

After a couple of weeks you may feel fit enough to perform the following exercise.

Hold a broom handle (with the broom cut off), in both hands with your palms up, arms outstretched. Lift above the head and hold for a few seconds, then lower the broom handle to the pelvis. Repeat several times.

Hysterectomy

In these exercises, you’ll work the abs, pelvic, and back muscles. As with any routine, be sure to get the advice of your doctor before beginning.

Lie on the floor, knees bent, hands behind your head. Press the small of the back gently into the floor, then more firmly. Don’t try to work ‘through the pain’.

Raise your head and shoulders slightly off the floor, paying attention to the contraction of the abs. Take care not to move the chin toward the chest. Then slowly lower the head and shoulders back to the floor. Repeat several times.

Lift the hips, hold for a few seconds, then lower them. Do 10 reps. Then, alternate with the abdominal exercises. Roll over onto the knees, making sure you have some knee pads or carpeting to soften the point of contact.

Slowly raise one arm and the alternate leg. Alternate. Right arm out, left leg out, then, left arm out, right leg out. Hold each for a second or two, switch and repeat 10 times.

Again, don’t try to exercise if you feel intense pain as distinguished from mild discomfort. Take it slow, building up strength over time.

Exercise for the over-50 crowd is decidedly healthy. As people age, several changes occur that exercise can help slow or reverse. Metabolism slows, leading to increased fat accumulation. Artery passageways often narrow, leading to higher blood pressure and lowered flow. Bones become thinner and more porous, a condition known as osteoporosis. Muscles and skin lose tone.

Those effects can be retarded or even turned back to a degree with regular, age-appropriate exercise. The American College of Sports Medicine suggests 15-60 minutes of aerobic (oxygen-enhancing) exercise a few days per week.

One goal among others is to raise the heart rate to 60-90% of the safe maximum (220 beats per minute, minus your present age). A good cardiovascular workout – a 30-minute brisk walk or three 10-minute walks per day, mild jumping jacks, gentle jogging in place, swimming, a dance routine or any other method – helps keep the heart and blood vessels healthy.

Strength-building exercises help keep the muscles toned and keep weight and blood sugar levels at appropriate levels. Balance exercises can help build good leg muscles, leading to better support for joints and less likelihood of a fall. (The National Institutes of Health report 300,000 hospital admissions per year for broken hips, many of them from seniors falling.)

Gentle static and dynamic stretching exercises help keep muscles flexible and joints lubricated. That helps out with balance, but it also maximizes range of movement. That means better coordination and less pain during both exercise and everyday activities.

Endurance exercises help keep the heart and lungs healthy as well as keeping muscles toned, joints moving freely and other body systems functioning well. A slightly higher metabolic rate stimulates a variety of organs to produce needed biochemicals. The human body functions better, longer when it is subject to mild activity than when sedentary for long periods.

All these activities help raise the onset age of osteoporosis and to minimize its effects after it begins. Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus is less likely for the physically active. Certain forms of heart disease are less likely for those who exercise moderately later in life.

There is ample evidence that moderate, regular exercise helps the psychology as well. It can decrease the severity of depression and heighten mood. The social aspects can help with the isolation that older people sometimes feel, especially as friends and loved ones are no longer part of their lives.

Older people should consult a physician or trainer (preferably both) before starting any new exercise program. Begin slowly, especially if exercise has not been part of your lifestyle. Build up flexibility, strength and endurance gradually.

If you have a medical condition, be sure to discuss your plans with a physician and sports expert to develop an exercise routine appropriate to you.

Mild exercise, of types appropriate to the various stages, will help keep the circulatory system healthy, increase pelvic muscle tone and strength, and help to smooth out mood swings. Done right, you can lessen the severity of backaches, keep joints flexible and firm, and improve sleep.

Mild exercise helps release endorphins, which can help elevate mood. Proper strengthening and toning of the back, buttocks, and thighs helps improve posture and relieve backaches. Daily stretching keeps joints well-lubricated with synovial fluid. Moderate working out burns up some of that anxious energy, leading to more restful sleep.

Three exercises in particular are appropriate for most soon-to-be mothers: swimming, spinning and pelvic strengtheners.

Swimming is a great cardiovascular exercise and has the added benefit of easing the back and leg burden during later stages. Most women enjoy the (all too temporary) relief during those final months. Keeping the cardiovascular system active helps regulate the endocrine system and keeps muscle tissues full and joints flexible.

Swimming has the added benefit of working nearly all the muscles and joints in a low-impact way. Knees get a break from the higher stress of carrying additional weight and breathing exercises can be done while wading, in between laps.

Spinning, provided it isn’t done too strenuously, can be a terrific exercise up until the last two months or so. The cardiovascular benefits are similar to swimming and the legs as well as stomach and pelvic muscles can get a really good workout. That benefits fitness overall, while helping to keep legs in shape to prevent falls. It also helps two particular muscle groups that will be needed during delivery.

A 10-minute routine on a stationary bike is plenty, keeping in mind that you should stop at the first sign of bleeding, fluid loss, dizziness or intense pain.

‘Kegels’ are a commonly recommended exercise – and for good reason. They help develop those very specific muscles that aid in giving birth.

To find the right muscles to focus on, pretend you’re trying to halt urination in the middle of elimination. Squeeze those specific muscles for a few seconds, then relax. During the exercise, avoid tightening the legs or stomach. That will help isolate the right muscles you need to zero in on. Remember to continue to breathe normally, in and out slowly and regularly.

Before beginning or continuing any exercise routine once you know you are pregnant, be sure to have a long talk with your physician. Many of them are rushed, but be firm and get the answers you need in order to stay fit in a safe way.

Stop immediately any activity that produces heart palpitations, back pain or light-headedness. Don’t concern yourself with weight loss during pregnancy, just keep fit in order to maximize your overall health and mental well-being.