How to Avoid Muscle Atrophy After Surgery?

Many patients notice muscle weakness after surgery. Simple movements may feel harder, strength may seem reduced, and the body may not feel the same as before. Muscle weakness after surgery is a common concern, especially during recovery when activity is limited. Patients often worry about how long it will last and what they can do to protect their muscles while healing.

Let’s explore everything you need to know about muscle atrophy, whether it can be reversed, and avoided after surgery.

What Is Muscle Atrophy?

Muscle atrophy refers to a loss of muscle size and strength. It occurs when muscles become smaller and weaker over time. This occurs when muscle tissue is not being sufficiently stimulated to remain strong.

Muscle atrophy does not happen suddenly. It develops gradually. In the early stages, people may notice mild weakness or fatigue. As time passes, muscles may appear thinner, and physical tasks may feel more difficult.

Common signs of muscle atrophy include reduced strength, faster tiredness, and difficulty performing everyday activities. In some cases, balance and coordination may also feel affected.

According to the studies, age can also affect muscle recovery after surgery. As people get older, their overall food intake often decreases. This means older adults may eat fewer calories and less protein compared to younger adults, even when their body needs more nutrition for healing. 

Why Does Muscle Atrophy Happen After Surgery?

After surgery, the body focuses on healing wounds and fighting inflammation. During this time, movement is often reduced due to pain, swelling, or the doctor’s instructions. This lack of activity sends a signal to the body that the muscles are not needed as much.

Other reasons muscle atrophy can happen after surgery include:

• Long bed rest or immobilization
• Wearing casts or braces
• Pain that limits movement
• Poor nutrition or low protein intake
• Stress and inflammation in the body

When muscles are not used, the body begins breaking down muscle tissue faster than it builds. Over time, this leads to muscle loss.

Tips to Avoid Muscle Atrophy After Surgery

Avoiding muscle atrophy does not mean rushing recovery or ignoring medical advice. It means supporting the body in safe and approved ways while it heals.

1. Start Gentle Movement as Early as Allowed

Movement is the strongest signal your body receives to keep muscles active. Even small movements help. Once your surgeon or physiotherapist allows it, gentle motion should begin.

This may include slow walking, light stretching, or simple leg and arm movements while lying down. These actions improve blood flow and remind the body to maintain muscle tissue. 

2. Follow Physical Therapy Instructions

Physical therapy is designed to prevent weakness and support muscle recovery after surgery. A therapist creates movements based on your surgery type and healing stage.

Skipping or delaying therapy can increase muscle loss. Doing exercises correctly and regularly helps maintain strength and improve long-term recovery.

3. Take Proper Nutrition for Muscle Growth

Nutrition plays a crucial role in maintaining muscle strength during recovery (1). After surgery, the body uses more energy to heal damaged tissue and repair muscles. Without proper nutrition, muscle strength can decline, and recovery may feel slower and more difficult.

Muscles need the right nutrients to stay active and rebuild. When nutrition is poor or incomplete, the body may break down muscle tissue faster than it can repair it. Protein is one of the most important nutrients for muscle health. It provides the building blocks needed to repair and maintain muscle tissue. 

While many nutrients can be obtained from regular food sources, eating enough after surgery is not always easy. Once your surgeon approves, nutritional needs can be supported with targeted recovery supplements.

Tip: HealFast offers physician-backed nutrition supplements made with 25 critical ingredients and triple-tested by third-party labs for quality and safety. These supplements are designed to support post-surgical healing, muscle maintenance, and recovery when the body needs extra nutritional support.

HealFast supplements include some of the most important nutrients needed for muscle recovery, such as bromelain, which supports tissue healing and muscle comfort, and magnesium, which supports normal muscle function during the recovery process.

4. Manage Pain Properly

Pain can limit movement, which increases the risk of muscle atrophy during recovery. Managing pain safely allows better participation in physical therapy and encourages gentle daily movement. When pain is controlled, the body can move more comfortably without fear or stiffness.

Proper pain management also helps prevent muscle tightness and reduces stress on the body. Following your surgeon’s pain management plan supports consistent movement, which is important for maintaining muscle strength while healing.

5. Get Enough Rest and Sleep

Muscle repair happens during rest, especially during sleep. Poor sleep can slow healing and increase muscle breakdown.

Creating a comfortable sleep environment, following medication schedules, and resting when needed all support muscle recovery. Rest and movement work together. Rest allows healing, while gentle movement keeps muscles active.

Recommendation: If you are struggling with sleep during recovery, you may consider taking HealFast’s Max Sleep Recovery supplements. It is designed to support natural sleep and relaxation using a blend of plant-based ingredients, calming nutrients, and sleep-supporting compounds. It helps promote deeper, more restful sleep without causing next-day grogginess or dependence, allowing the body to recover more effectively overnight.

6. Avoid Long Periods of Complete Inactivity

Even if you cannot exercise, avoiding long hours of complete stillness helps. Changing positions, standing briefly, or doing small movements throughout the day can make a difference.

These small actions support circulation and reduce muscle loss during recovery.

Related Articles - 

What Happens if You Don’t Take Recovery Supplements After Surgery?

Which Nutrient is Needed for Tissue Growth and Repair After Surgery?

Why You Shouldn’t Skip Post-Op Follow-up Appointment (Even If You Feel Fine)

How Long Does Muscle Atrophy Recovery Take?

Muscle atrophy recovery time varies from person to person. It usually depends on the severity of muscle loss, the type of surgery, overall health, and how consistently recovery steps are followed.

With the right nutrition and targeted movement, improvements in muscle strength can begin within a few months (2). However, full muscle recovery may take longer, especially if muscle atrophy was more severe or if movement was limited for an extended period.

Reference:

1. Cruz-Jentoft, A. J., Kiesswetter, E., Drey, M., & Sieber, C. C. (2020). Nutrition, frailty, and sarcopenia. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 32(10), 1791–1800. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6950468/

2. Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Muscle atrophy. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22310-muscle-atrophy