The duration of your physical therapy plan of care will vary depending on a few variables including how well you are healing, what level of impairments existed prior to and following the surgery and what activities you are looking to resume. Four months of physical therapy is often needed to help patients get back into daily activities but it could take up to nine months to return fully to higher impact activities like running or heavier weight lifting.. While full return of function may take some time, you may begin to see some results right away. You should experience improvements in many symptoms such as pain, stiffness, and inflammation within a few weeks. Achieving long lasting results may take some time, but dedication to your program will help you achieve these results. Your PT will be able to give you a more specific timeline for recovery after your surgery and as you move through the rehabilitation process.

LABRAL TEARS AND REPAIRS

The labrum is a cartilaginous ring that lines the outer rim of the acetabulum (the “socket” portion of the hip joint). The labrum not only creates a seal around the joint but provides stability and shock absorption and assists in creating smooth movement between the head of the femur and the acetabulum. In some instances, the labrum can tear away from the bony structure underneath. Labral tears are often considered repetitive stress injuries caused by repetitive movements like running, cutting and deep squatting combined with other factors like bony abnormalities, hip muscle weakness and improper coordination or biomechanics. Many people have asymptomatic labral tears and don’t even know it. Others will be able to manage their symptoms with a conservative physical therapy program. In cases of large tears, very symptomatic tears and those that have not responded to physical therapy, surgical intervention to either trim or repair the labrum may be indicated.

Two primary surgical approaches exist to address labral tears:

Debridement: the torn portion of the labrum is shaved off

Repair: anchors are used to reattach the torn labrum to the underlying bone in order to reverse the damage

If you decide to work with a physical therapist to help with labral repair surgery rehab, your entire treatment plan could consist of around 8-20+ different physical therapy sessions that will each last 60-90 minutes. Once you complete your customized physical therapy treatment plan, you will be able to continue to do the prescribed stretches and exercises utilized during your PT sessions yet in the comfort of your own home.

WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM PHYSICAL THERAPY AFTER SURGERY?

When the labrum is repaired, stress must be minimized in that area initially to allow for the healing process to begin. Following this kind of surgery there is often a period of modified weight bearing followed by several months of physical therapy to help the tissues heal and facilitate a return to full activity. Your physical therapist is there to help guide you through your surgeon’s postoperative protocol which employs protective measures early on and then slowly begins adding more motion, weight bearing and stress to the area to promote full healing.

Right after your surgery your physical therapist may use modalities, manual therapy techniques or passive range of motion to address pain and inflammation and to start restoring motion. Your PT will also prescribe some of the interventions below to begin restoring tissue and muscle function and length. As you progress through your recovery and the surgical site is allowed to undergo more stress, your physical therapist will begin to progress these interventions in order to help you achieve your maximal level of function:

• Strengthening:
Restoring strength and endurance to the muscles around the hip (as well as the trunk, knee, and ankle), is an important part of post-surgical rehabilitation. It will help decrease pain and assist you in returning to your prior level of function. Strength losses can be attributed to a decreased level of exercise or activity pre-surgery as well as a result of pain, inflammation and modified activity post-surgery.
• Stretching and joint mobilization:
Stretching and joint mobilization is often needed after surgery to restore normal joint motion and muscle length. Restoring full or functional range of motion is very important post surgery and your PT will guide you on how to do this while maintaining hip movement precautions.
• Gait and biomechanics training:
relearning how to walk, climb stairs and even run normally after a surgery like this is often needed. If running or other activities like squatting, cutting or twisting may have contributed to the tear in the first place, it is important to work with your physical therapist to optimize movement patterns to minimize your risk of re-injury.
• Neuromuscular Re-education:
This type of treatment is used to improve the motor control and coordination of muscles around the hip joint so the limb functions well during both daily tasks and higher impact activities like athletics or job duties.
• Sport and job-specific tasks:
For athletes returning to sport or workers returning to a job, sport- and job-specific exercises will be incorporated later on in your rehabilitation to prepare the surgical site for the demands of returning to these activities.