Going In for Surgery? How Physical Therapy Can Help Pre and Post Op
Should I Start PT BEFORE Surgery?
Pre-and Post Surgery PT is the Key to Success…
Don’t Skip Physical Therapy Before or After Surgery
Did you know that physical therapy is not only a great tool to help you recover from surgery but also one that can help prepare you for surgery? It’s true. Physical therapy prior to surgery, sometimes called prehab, has many benefits that can help improve your surgical outcome. So if surgery has been recommended as the best treatment for your condition, read on to learn how physical therapy can set you up for success on both sides of the operating table.
WHY SHOULD I CONSIDER PREHAB?
Prehab was a term coined to describe the use of health interventions to avoid injury, decrease pain, or prepare for surgery. Many times after we’ve sustained an injury or if we’ve been dealing with symptoms for a long time we naturally decrease our level of movement and exercise to avoid provoking uncomfortable or painful symptoms. While this choice will most likely accomplish the goal of reducing your symptoms, it doesn’t necessarily put you in the best position for an easy recovery from surgery. If the surgery isn’t an emergency there are many ways that a physical therapist can help prepare you and your body for the upcoming procedure.
Know what to expect: The idea of surgery can frankly be quite scary. Having an idea of what to expect after the procedure can ease some of your anxiety and make sure you have what you need to support your recovery. Getting to know your physical therapist before surgery will help build trust with them when it comes time for post-operative care. They can also advise you on any equipment or modifications to your home that might be necessary, help you understand what kind of help or support you will need from others, and prepare you for how your body may feel after surgery.
Manage pain and inflammation: Pain and inflammation are natural results of injuries. They alert us that we need to protect the injured area and that the body is taking steps to start the healing process. In some cases, however, your surgeon may require that your injury is “quiet”, meaning it can tolerate some stress and activity without causing significant swelling, before they want to operate. If this is the case, or if surgery is delayed for any reason, learning strategies to manage pain and inflammation in the meantime will help you stay comfortable and as active as possible.
Learn how to use assistive devices: If you will be leaving the hospital with a shiny new walker, cane, or set of crutches, learning how to use them beforehand can be very helpful. Immediately post surgery, when you are still feeling the effects of anesthesia and pain and stiffness are setting in, is not the best time to learn how to use an unfamiliar device that is meant to protect your recently operated-on body part.
Build or maintain strength and flexibility: While the brain knows that surgery is intended to “heal” the injury, the body views the surgical procedure as another injury to the tissues. Think about it, surgery requires incisions and instrumentation that often disrupt many layers of tissue. While the surgeon may have sewn a torn ligament or fused a couple of vertebrae which will ultimately improve your symptoms and get you moving again, the body will need to heal from the effects of the surgery before that can happen. Maximizing strength and flexibility prior to the surgery can help decrease muscle atrophy and stiffness following the procedure which can ultimately quicken your recovery.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT AFTER MY SURGERY?
Post-surgical physical therapy has many goals:
Control pain and inflammation
Protect the surgical site while it heals
Promote the healing process
Educate you on how your healing is progressing and what you can do at home and in therapy to support this process
Restore strength, flexibility, and neuromuscular control
Help you to return to your prior level of activities
Most likely your surgeon will provide you or your physical therapist with a post-surgical protocol that outlines parameters for exercise and activity at different stages of your recovery. It often provides goals for each stage of rehabilitation and gives allowances for how much weight you can bear through your arms or legs, how much stretching or range of motion is allowed, how much weight you can lift, and what kinds of activities are permitted.
The type of surgery you had will dictate how long you can expect to be under the care of a physical therapist and how quickly you can progress back to your prior level of activity. Even when the surgeon feels that the surgical site can withstand normal activity, your body may not be ready to jump back into heavy weight lifting, long runs, or aggressive training. Ramping up activity too quickly without adequately preparing the body is a recipe for re-injury. Your physical therapist will continually assess you and help you prepare your body to safely accept the stresses of your favorite activities so you can keep this surgery a distant memory.
DON’T WAIT TO GET STARTED
If you know that a surgery date is on the calendar, call Evolve PT to schedule appointments today. The physical therapists at Evolve can help you prepare your body and mind for surgery and will be standing by to help you recover after it’s finished.
Click here to find out more information about prehab physical therapy and post-op physical therapy
About EvolveNY-
Brooklyn's Premier Holistic Physical Therapy Clinics- There’s physical therapy, there’s training, and then there’s EVOLVE. We use the science of biomechanics merged with fitness to help our patients get better and stay better!
First we evaluate, then we heal, then we strengthen our clients so they can reach their goals, feel better, and live happier lives. We do so by utilizing a range of core techniques and specialized treatments to reduce pain, improve mobility, enhance physical strength and deal with the underlying issues, not just the pain itself.
Multiple Brooklyn Physical Therapy Locations!
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