If you have a surgery coming up, it is not strange to be a bit nervous and wondering how quickly you will be able to recover.

No matter what type of surgery you had, you are recovering from, ranging from joint replacements to a heart valve replacement, undergoing rehabilitation after surgery with a physical therapist with their specialized treatment plan designed uniquely for you is essential to maximise your physical potential, speed up your recovery process and help you in getting the most out of the highly skilled interventions provided by the surgical team.

No matter how minimally invasive a surgical procedure is, it is definitely noticed to cause trauma to the human body to some extent. When the human body heals, the patient will likely experience challenges like swelling, inflammation and pain whereas the severity of pain may vary in distinct cases. The patient may find it a very grueling task to do their daily activities like standing, walking, dressing and anything. He/she may even have specific instructions from their surgeons on things to do or things not to do in order to protect your healing surgical site and prevent complications from occurring.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM POST SURGICAL REHABILITATION?

The impact of these surgeries on the human body should not be underestimated. Most surgeries incur at least some degree of pain, swelling, inflammation and even mobility limitations. To complicate matters, the patient likely was already experiencing pain and dysfunction prior to the surgery.

Physical therapists are well trained and certified experts in the human body who diagnose and treat a wide number of conditions. In post-surgical rehabilitation, physiotherapists are key team members who can implement plans of care with the goal to:

  • Reduce pain, swelling and inflammation
  • Accelerate wound healing and minimize scarring
  • Improve circulation, range of motion and strength
  • Restore functional mobility
  • Depending on your specific needs, a physical therapist may also help to adapt to new changes in the body and learn how to use certain tools and adaptive equipment.
  • At the first post surgical evaluation, a physical therapist will review the patient’s medical history and any relevant documentation from the surgeon. He/she will examine the surgical site, as well as other aspects of its health including strength, balance, blood pressure, heart rate, pain level, range of motion and also cognition. Eventually, the physiotherapist and you will go over and achieve the goals.

Based on all this details, the physical therapist will make and implement a customized plan and employ a variety of exercises and techniques to help you achieve your goals:

  • Manual therapy such as muscle energy technique, joint mobilizations and massage.
  • Electric stimulation.
  • Therapeutic exercises      
  • Gait and balance training
  • Neuromuscular re-education
  • Ice and heat
  • Patient education

The physiotherapist will persistently make reports on the progress of the patient and adjust  the plan of care as necessary to ensure he is progressing well. When the rehabilitation program is complete, the physiotherapist will write a summary of care, give instructions and recommendations about things which will help in continuing to progress like nutrition, stress management, sleep and exercise programs.

HOW MUCH TIME DOES PHYSICAL THERAPY REHABILITATION TAKE?

The amount of time physical therapy rehabilitation would take depends on several complex factors including age, overall health, type of surgery, and if you experienced any complications during surgery.

Strong evidence shows that consulting a physical therapist both before and after the surgery reduces the risk of complications and improves the overall outcome drastically.

Even just a few pre-operative sessions are very effective for helping in preparing your body for the upcoming surgery.

SOME IMPRESSIVE BENEFITS

Post surgical rehabilitation helps in the proper blood circulation post surgery and thus preventing blood clots from occurring. Physical therapy is proven to be beneficial in helping a person get back on their feet post their surgeries.

In a nutshell, post surgical rehabilitation is a well known, non-invasive and evidence based method to retrieve the balance, strength, flexibility and function post surgery. Research shows that physical therapy can even reduce the amount of pain medication a person needs to use! Contact us.