Breathing and circulation exercises after surgery - transcript

Voice over: These exercises help prevent you developing a chest infection or blood clots in your legs after surgery. These problems are more likely when you are not moving around as you would normally.

You can do these breathing exercises while sitting up in a chair or in bed or whilst lying down.

Relax your shoulders and upper chest.

Take a slow, deep, comfortable breath in and hold for a couple of seconds, then slowly breathe out.

Repeat this 3 times.

You can start these breathing exercises as soon as you come round from your anaesthetic. You should try to do them every hour when awake until you are fully mobile.

If you need to cough support your wound with your arms a pillow or a rolled up towel.

Woman: [Coughs]

Voiceover: If you are struggling to clear any phlegm, try a huff. This is where you breathe out in a short, sharp manner as if you were trying to steam up a mirror.

You should move about as soon as possible after your operation. But while you are not as mobile, try to keep your legs moving to encourage better circulation.

You can do these exercises in a bed or in a chair.

One foot at a time point your toes away from you then, pull your toes towards your chin. Try to do 10 of these on both feet at least 2 to 3 times an hour.

The next exercise is circling your ankles. One at a time circle your ankles, clockwise and then anticlockwise. Repeat this 10 times with each ankle 2 to 3 times an hour.