Fueling Your Recovery: Nutrition Tips Before and After Surgery
Surgery is a major metabolic event that puts significant stress on the body. In this episode of The Motion Lab, board-certified orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Michael Van Manen and physician assistant Chuck Dah explore the powerful impact of pre- and post-operative nutrition. Learn how modern fasting protocols, targeted protein intake, bone health supplements, and blood sugar management can reduce complications and accelerate your path back to mobility.
Fueling Your Recovery: Nutrition Tips Before and After Surgery | Dr. Van Manen
In this video of The Motion Lab Podcast, Fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon Dr. Van Manen discuss how pre and post-operative nutrition impacts recovery from joint replacement surgery. They emphasize that optimizing modifiable risk factors—such as maintaining low, stable blood sugar levels to minimize infection risks, consuming adequate protein to prevent muscle loss, and adopting a whole-food, anti-inflammatory diet—plays a vital role in proper wound healing and tissue repair. Furthermore, they highlight modern fasting protocols that include electrolyte fluids to prevent dehydration, the importance of key supplements like Vitamin D for bone integration, and the value of starting healthy habits weeks before surgery so patients can approach their recovery with an athlete's mindset.
