Bone Health, Nutrition & Patient FAQs

Practical nutrition advice to strengthen bones and speed up fracture union, followed by answers to the most common questions from patients and families.

Nutrition for Strong Bones & Faster Healing

Everyday dietary building blocks for bone density and cartilage protection

Calcium, Vitamin D & Protein

Calcium-Rich Foods: Milk, curd (dahi), paneer, ragi (finger millet), sesame seeds (til), almonds, and leafy greens provide daily mineral support.
Vitamin D3 for Absorption: Without adequate Vitamin D, your body absorbs less than 15% of dietary calcium. Morning sunlight (15–20 mins) and guided Vitamin D3 supplementation keep levels optimal.
High Protein During Recovery: Bone matrix and healing surgical tissues require protein—include dal, legumes, paneer, soya, eggs, or lean poultry in every meal.

Lifestyle Habits That Protect Joints

Healthy Weight Management: Every 1 kg of weight loss removes nearly 4 kg of compressive force from your knees on every step.
Avoid Smoking & Excess Alcohol: Nicotine constricts small blood vessels, significantly slowing down fracture healing (non-union risk) and ligament recovery.
Low-Impact Exercise: Brisk walking on level ground, cycling, and swimming lubricate joint cartilage without harsh impact.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I bring to my first OPD consultation with Dr. Avneet Sandhu?

Please bring any previous X-ray films, MRI scans (both the printed report and the CD/films), old prescriptions, discharge summaries, and a list of the daily medications you take (such as blood pressure, sugar, or blood-thinning tablets). Wearing loose clothing that allows easy examination of the affected joint (for example, loose trousers that roll above the knee) is also helpful.

Where and when are Dr. Avneet Sandhu's OPD timings in Amritsar?

Dr. Sandhu is available at two locations in Amritsar:
• Sri Guru Ram Das Hospital (Valla, Amritsar): Monday & Thursday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM (No OPD consultation fee).
• Amritsar Golden Hospital: Monday to Saturday (except Sunday) in the evening from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM.

Does every knee pain or ligament tear require surgery?

No. Early-to-moderate osteoarthritis, partial ligament sprains, and many tendon or back problems respond very well to targeted physiotherapy, lifestyle modifications, footwear correction, and medications. Surgery is recommended only when conservative care no longer relieves pain, when there is mechanical joint locking/instability, or when a fracture or complete tear requires anatomical restoration.

How soon after Total Knee or Hip Replacement can a patient walk and use the washroom?

With modern surgical techniques and multimodal pain control, most patients stand and walk with a walker within 24 hours after surgery and walk to the washroom with assistance by Day 2.

Are there any dietary restrictions ("badi" foods like rice, curd, or dal) after orthopaedic surgery?

It is a common myth that eating curd, rice, lentils (dal), or citrus fruits causes pus or delays stitch healing. In reality, protein (dal, paneer, curd, eggs) and Vitamin C (citrus fruits, amla) are essential for collagen formation and rapid wound and bone healing. Unless you have diabetes or kidney restrictions, eat a well-balanced, protein-rich home diet.

Do titanium plates, rods, or joint implants set off airport security or interfere with future MRI scans?

Modern titanium alloy fracture implants are MRI-safe (conditional) at standard clinical magnet strengths. Large joint replacement implants may occasionally be detected by sensitive airport body scanners—carrying your discharge summary or implant card makes security clearance simple.