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Three months following a major colorectal cancer surgery, the majority of older patients achieved functional recovery (FR), according to data from the Geriatric Oncology Surgical Assessment and Functional Recovery after Surgery ) study, which were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Three-fourths of patients had functional recovery 3-6 months after surgery and 70% had equivalent or better QoL as compared with before surgery. The data revealed multiple risk factors associated with not achieving functional recovery and with worse QoL after surgery.

Both therapies help people regain mobility and heal from acute and chronic pain conditions and injuries, but occupational therapists and physical therapists receive different training and maintain unique areas of expertise.

Researchers have found that a patient’s hospital room might affect their outcomes after surgery. For example, having a window in their room was associated with a faster recovery after surgery.

If surgery is in your future, you may be interested in how you can heal faster, return to work faster, and maybe even get back to the gym faster. Your "need for speed" may be profound, but try to remember that the quality of your recovery matters, too. 

When you're resting at home after your operation, you'll need to keep an eye on the wound your surgeon left behind. It's going to go through some changes in the next month, and you'll probably find yourself wondering: Is this normal, or am I getting an infection?

Take time to understand the entire process, including what you can do to heal at home. Pay attention to your physician’s pre-operative and post-operative instructions. You can also try some of these speedy recovery tips at home. With patience and a positive attitude, you’ll get stronger every day. 

Keep your own recovery on track and avoid costly mistakes. Your doctor gave you specific dos and don'ts. Pay attention to them. Maybe you have a green light for simple activities, for instance, but a red light for strenuous ones. Or maybe you're supposed to walk every day but not lift anything over 10 pounds.

An excellent place to begin your recovery journey is with your discharge instructions. Read them carefully, make sure you understand every word, and call your healthcare provider if you have any questions.

In the meantime, 10 post-surgery tips ought to serve you well, ensuring that you heal both quickly and properly.

Late last year, Solange Lemieux developed a bowel obstruction. She was vomiting badly and feeling terrible. She went to her doctor, who immediately arranged for her to fly from St. Paul, Alberta, where she lives, to Edmonton. There, Dr. Rachel Khadaroo performed emergency surgery, which included removing part of the bowel, where the medical team had discovered cancer.