As mentioned above, there are many ways in which a physical therapist can support a football player. Here are some of the services that we offer to players to support them in their careers as a player:

Injury Rehabilitation

People undergo neck surgeries for many different reasons. Sometimes, in the case of acute injuries like a fracture or severe disc herniation, surgery becomes an emergency and the focus of physical therapy will be on recovery after the surgery. Many other surgeries, however, may occur after a period of conservative care and chronic symptoms. While there are many types of neck surgeries, here is a list of common neck surgeries that may benefit from a course of prehabilitation:

• Discectomy
• Cervical fusion
• Spinal laminectomy
• Artificial disc replacement
• Disc decompression
• Foraminotomy

WHY NOT WAIT UNTIL AFTER SURGERY?

Many people are not surprised to hear that physical therapy will be needed after their neck surgery to help the neck recover and to restore normal function. Fewer people are familiar with how they can benefit from working with a physical therapist in anticipation of undergoing neck 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 our symptoms, it doesn’t necessarily put us 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. It is normal for inflammation, weakness, and stiffness to develop in response to surgery, especially if a period of immobilization or bed rest is required. The better condition your neck, back and let's face it, your entire body, is prior to surgery, the easier it is to return to your normal activities. This is especially the case for patients who have been less active or not exercising because of their symptoms. Starting PT ahead of time can give you a jumpstart on building strength, stamina, flexibility and mobility.

My team of therapists will individualize a prehabilitation program just for you, however, there are many elements that are common across different prehabilitation programs. To help you gain a better understanding of what to expect, here is a list of some common goals of neck surgery prehab:

Set expectations: The idea of surgery can be quite scary. Having an idea of what to expect after the procedure can ease some of your worry and help ensure 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 side effects 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. If there is time before surgery, working with a PT to get pain and inflammation under better control will improve quality of life during the waiting period and help prepare your body for going into surgery.

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. While the surgeon may have repaired a disc or removed a bone spur, 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, motor control, joint mobility and flexibility prior to the surgery can help decrease muscle atrophy, generalized deconditioning and stiffness following the procedure which can ultimately quicken your recovery.

Oftentimes when dealing with acute or chronic neck pain, clients are unsure what kinds of exercise they can do safely that will help with their condition. This is what physical therapists are here to do, advise you on an exercise program that can enhance strength, endurance, flexibility and motor control and provide services like manual therapy techniques to help with pain and stiffness without worsening your symptoms.

Prehabilitation for neck surgeries is an excellent choice for those wanting to get a head start on their recovery and to help improve their chances of a good surgical outcome. My team of therapists and I would love to help you prepare for your upcoming neck surgery. Call the office at Evolve today to get started.