Maintaining and improving your physical health (waiting well)
Keeping your body fit and healthy while waiting can play a vital role in your journey with us. Staying active, eating well, and getting enough rest can make your body stronger and better prepared for the procedure or treatment that you are waiting for. The work you put in now may even help to reduce your symptoms and help you recover faster afterwards. Maintaining good physical health can reduce the risk of problems during surgery and give you something to work towards while you wait. Taking care of yourself also gives you more energy and helps you feel more in control during a stressful time.
Simple exercises to get you started
If you are unsure what exercises are best for you, you should always check with a medical professional. However, the NHS BetterHealth page has some 10 minute home workout videos.
Aerobic exercises are great workouts for beginners and those who want a quick and easy way to get moving. You probably do some of these exercises without even realising, like walking, cycling and swimming. For at home aerobic workouts, you can follow see three workouts on the NHS YouTube channel.
If you are looking for a lower impact exercise, Pilates may be a better option as this focusses more on slow repetitive movements and is gentle on the body. This type of exercise also includes breathing techniques which can be helpful to calm the mind while still moving the body.
Support to lose weight
Being overweight can affect the level of treatment you can receive, often delaying surgeries and invasive tests as it can cause additional risks. If you would like to lose weight before you’re seen by us, there is local support in the Southampton area offered by Southampton City Council.
There is also a digital weight management programme to support adults living with obesity who are diagnosed with diabetes or hypertension (high blood pressure). This is a 12 week programme that can be accessed entirely online and can be found on the NHS England website.
Healthy hearts
If you’re trying to keep your heart healthy while you wait for care, the following page has information on how to keep on top of your blood pressure, how to look after your heart and risk factors for worsening heart health. There is also an interactive map on the website to services in Southampton, Portsmouth, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight about what is available to support patients locally - you can find them on the Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB website.