If you have recently had intensive foot and ankle surgery or are counting down the days until your operation, then you are probably aware of the long recovery period required for most ankle surgeries. Depending on how long your doctors told you to remain on bed rest, you could be off of your feet for weeks or even months. All of that downtime is great for a healing ankle; however, the same abundance of idle time can have the opposite effect on the well being of your mind. Too much down time can cause a host of psychological issues. Read the information below to learn how you can keep your mind healthy as you heal your body:
Why Combat Boredom?
If you were forced to sit in your home for 24 hours without any kind of social interaction and were unable to move around easily on your own, would you get tired of “being in your own head” for too long? Most people who suffer with depression report that feelings of sadness begin to build after spending long periods of time alone. Why? A great deal of scientific research indicates that when human beings spend too much time mulling over their own thoughts, it results in many negative emotions. This might explain why so many prisoners placed in isolated confinement develop psychological illnesses and social problems. Human beings were wired for socializing and seem to have a natural aversion for the concept of boredom. Therefore, it is very important to combat boredom during times of isolation. Recovery after foot and ankle surgery in Naples FL, must be carefully planned so that you are not exposed to extended periods of boredom or loneliness when surgery prevents you from doing the tasks you usually enjoy.
Exercise Your Mind
There are many activities you can do during your foot and ankle surgery recovery to keep your mind healthy and engaged while your body remains at rest. A recent development to help with this task is a program called Luminosity. Luminosity and other similar programs are designed to “exercise” your brain. According to experts, the neuroplasticity of your brain (i.e. the ability of your brain to grow and change over time) can be affected positively by the little “mind games” featured on mind improvement software.
Read the Classics
How often have you said you wished you had more time to read? There is no time like the present, especially if you are stuck in bed due to foot and ankle surgery. It is often difficult to find time to read the classics when you are consumed with the hectic pace of typical everyday life. Being forced to rest your ankle will give you a great chance to catch up on all of the great reads that you have been missing out on. Check out Pride and Prejudice, War of The Worlds, or War and Peace for reads that will exercise your mind.
Play a Game
Games are great for people who are stuck at home because board games (and most video games) create the necessity for social interaction. Pull out the dusty chess set and start plotting your way toward checkmate. You will be glad you did!
Keep these tips in mind as you journey through your successful recovery process. With a little planning and lots of fun activities, your ankle will be as good as new in no time and your mind will be even sharper than before. Visit Kelly Malinoski, DPM for more information.
