Post-Surgical Rehabilitation
Do you have a scheduled surgery coming up soon? You need to do a lot of things to get ready, such as see your doctor about scheduling your post-surgical rehabilitation!
What Is the Importance of Rehab After Surgery?
With a physical therapist's help, you can maximize your physical potential, speed up your recovery, and make the most of the highly skilled interventions provided by your surgical team, regardless of the kind of surgery you're recovering from (from joint replacements to heart valve replacements).
No matter how minimally invasive surgery is, your body still experiences trauma as a result. You'll probably encounter difficulties including pain, inflammation, and swelling as your body heals. Additionally, you might now find it difficult to stand up, walk, or dress for daily activities. Your surgeon may have given you specific advice on what to do and what not to do to protect the surgery site while it heals and avoid complications.
For instance, if you underwent surgery to fix a fractured bone in your leg, your doctor could advise "non-weight bearing" or "partial weight bearing" for several weeks. If you've had a hip replacement, your doctor might advise you to adhere to "posterior hip precautions." Furthermore, if you've had surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff, your doctor may advise you to limit your shoulder movement.
What are the implications of these precautions and limitations? How is it possible to adapt to such limitations and carry on with regular activities? How might these limitations influence your body (for instance, weakened muscles from inactivity) and how might you lessen, stop, or reverse these effects?
These are significant issues that highlight the importance of consulting a physical therapist for post-operative rehab.
The best method to rebuild your strength, balance, flexibility, and function after any sort of surgery is through post-surgical rehabilitation since it is an evidence-based, drug-free, and non-invasive procedure. Even the number of medications a person needs to take can be decreased with physical therapy, according to research!
What to Expect from Post-Surgical Rehabilitation with a Physical Therapist
Physical therapists are specialists in the human body who can identify and manage a variety of conditions. Physical therapists are essential members of the post-surgical rehabilitation team who can put care plans into action with the following goals:
- Decrease pain, swelling, and inflammation
- Speed wound healing and reduce scarring
- Improve circulation, range of motion, and strength
- Restore functional mobility (your ability to move around in your environment and take part in activities like climbing stairs and getting in and out of a car)
A physical therapist might also assist you in learning how to utilize certain tools and adaptive equipment (such as crutches, incentive spirometers, or braces), adjust to new physical changes, or both, depending on your needs.
Your physical therapist will go through your medical history and any relevant paperwork from your surgeon at your initial post-surgical evaluation. He or she will check the surgical site as well as your strength, balance, amount of pain, range of motion, and mental function. Finally, you will discuss your goals with your physical therapist.
Your physical therapist will create and carry out a unique plan of care based on all this information, using a variety of exercises and strategies to assist you in reaching your goals:
- Therapeutic exercises
- Electrical stimulation
- Gait and balance training
- Neuromuscular re-education
- Ice and heat
- Education on condition
Your physical therapist will monitor your progress and change your treatment plan as needed to ensure you're making good progress. When your rehabilitation program is through, your therapist will create a summary of your care and provide you instructions and ideas on how to continue to progress (e.g., nutrition, stress management, sleep, exercise program, and so on).
How Long Does Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Take?
The amount of time you'll spend in physical therapy is determined by several complex factors, including your age, overall health, the sort of surgery you had, and whether you had any complications.
In many circumstances, a person might go from the operating room to the rehabilitation room in a couple of days or even hours. Protocols often call for therapy two to seven times each week for two weeks to three months or longer. Physical therapy may be required more frequently early in the recovery period and less frequently as time passes. Therapy with us takes place at our state-of-the-art facility in Northwest El Paso, TX.
Whatever your specific treatment plan entails, patience and consistency are essential as you allow your body to heal.
A Physical Therapist Can Help You Before and After Your Surgery
There is compelling evidence that working with a physical therapist both before and after surgery can significantly improve your recovery and lower your risk of problems. Your body can be effectively prepared for the procedure with just a few pre-operative sessions.
Do you have surgery coming up? To arrange a consultation, get in touch with FYZICAL – Northwest El Paso today and get a step closer to loving your life!