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.

1. SHOULD I START PT BEFORE SURGERY?
Pre-and Post Surgery PT is the Key to Success…
DON ’T S KIP PH YS ICAL TH ERAPY BEFORE OR AFTER S U RGERY
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.
WH Y S H OU LD I CON S IDER PREH AB?
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.
JANUARY 9, 2023
GOING IN FOR SURGERY? HOW PHYSICAL
THERAPY CAN HELP PRE AND POST OP
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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.
WH AT CAN I EX PECT AFTER MY S U RGERY?
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 S TARTED
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
REQUEST APPOINTMENT!
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!
1-718-751-0741
https://EvolveNY.com
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