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Do you have a surgical procedure planned in the near future? It is natural to be a little worried about how well the surgery will go or how long your recovery period may be. Many people seek physical therapy after surgery as part of their recovery plan, which is undeniably helpful for the healing process. However, there are also several benefits to completing a pre-surgical rehabilitation program before you even have your surgery. Contact Optimal Motion Physical Therapy today to find out how pre-surgical rehab can help you in your recovery.
What exactly is pre-surgical rehabilitation?
Pre-surgical rehabilitation, also referred to as pre-hab, is becoming an increasingly recommended practice by surgeons, as it can improve the outcomes for their patients. Studies have shown that beginning physical therapy a month or so before a surgery can significantly speed up your recovery time. It is no secret that the preparation for surgery can leave you feeling anxious, but a pre-hab program may be able to put your mind at ease. A pre-surgical rehabilitation plan will help you get physically and mentally prepared for your upcoming procedure.
How is it beneficial?
Surgery can take a traumatic toll on your body; therefore, it is typically only performed when there are no other options available. According to the National Institutes of Health, participating in exercise therapies prior to surgery can exceptionally improve your post-operative outcomes and reduce your recovery time. Pre-hab helps improve strength and promote pain relief before surgery, as it prepares your body for the procedure. It can also help you prepare mentally, by encouraging an overall sense of well being. Pre-hab helps to improve your range of motion and patterns of movement with exercises that you can perform before and after your surgery, in order to speed up your recovery time. In general, physical therapy will assist you in improving your physical health and promoting general wellness.
6 ways pre-hab works:
There are six key aspects to pre-surgical rehabilitation and how it can help you be successful:
- Reduces pain. No matter what your surgery may be for, our physical therapist can help reduce your pain through pre-hab. This can be done through a variety of methods, including exercise, massage, or ice and heat therapies.
- Improves outcomes. The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) states that pre-hab can improve the overall outcomes of surgery, and can even help in saving money if everything goes smoothly. The stronger you are before the surgery, the more likely the surgery will be successful.
- Reduces complications. Physical therapy treatments, especially those incorporating exercise programs, can help increase your strength and endurance. As a result, this can improve your immunity, meaning that the chance of infection after surgery will be much less likely.
- Increases stamina. Whatever surgery you may need, there will always be a loss of strength following the procedure. However, pre-hab can help in reducing how much strength is lost by increasing your stamina before the operation. Engaging in a physical routine before surgery will improve your overall stamina and make the surgery much easier.
- Shortens recovery. By completing a pre-hab program before your surgery, your recovery should go much smoother than it would without physical therapy treatments. Having strong and toned muscles before surgery helps you get back to your regular routine much quicker.
- Gives the possibility of avoiding surgery. If your pre-hab treatments work well in improving your pain and overall condition, it may be possible to avoid surgery altogether. While it is not always a common case, some patients found that their pre-hab treatments did wonders, and were sufficient enough in reducing their pain that they canceled their procedure. If your condition begins to improve considerably after starting physical therapy, you’ll want to consult with your physician regarding future treatment options and the possibility of avoiding the knife.
Consider pre-surgical rehabilitation today:
Pre-surgical rehabilitation has been known to provide a number of benefits for surgical patients. By consulting with one of our Herndon physical therapists, you can find out what treatment plan will be best for you to achieve optimum results. When you are as strong, flexible, and healthy as possible, you are able to regain normal function much quicker, following surgery. Starting a pre-hab program also means you’ll be able to establish a positive training routine that you will already be accustomed to before your surgery, and that you can take into your recovery for a better outcome.
If you are planning on having surgery, contact Optimal Motion Physical Therapy today to speak with one of our qualified team members. Our physical therapists are dedicated to providing you with the best treatment options available. For the best possible results, it’s important to get started as soon as possible. Schedule your appointment today to prepare for an easier procedure and recovery period.
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I tore my rectus abdominus from my pubic bone a little over a year ago and have had two surgeries to repair. I finally found Secili DeStefano. I could tell after a single visit that this lady KNOWS what she is doing.
Dan P.
Our highly skilled and experienced team of physical therapy clinicians can guide you through the entire pre-surgical and post-surgical process so that you can maximize your outcomes and make the most out of any type of invasive procedure.
What Is Post-Surgical Rehab and What are the Benefits?
Both pre- and post-surgical rehab are essential elements to successful patient outcomes. Post-surgical rehab with a physical therapist is especially important in order to make sure things go smoothly after your operation is done. This is because any type of surgery is a form of trauma and can affect the body differently. Even minor and uncomplicated surgical procedures can have a major impact on your health.
Individualized post-surgical rehab with a physical therapist not only minimizes your pain and accelerates your rate of healing (and return to sport or work). It also reduces the chances of post-operative complications including infections, bleeding, blood clots, muscle weakness, scar tissue, decreased function, and other factors which can negatively impact your long-term health.
Another critical reason for electing post-surgical physical therapy is that it can help you reduce or completely avoid prescription pain killers, including opioids. An opioid epidemic is currently gripping the country and impacting every socioeconomic class. According to the CDC, an estimated 115 people every day die from opioid overdose, and upwards of 29% of people prescribed opioids will end up misusing these dangerous drugs!
For this reason, the CDC advises people to choose physical therapy over prescription painkillers whenever possible.
Common Reasons for Surgery and Things to Consider in the Post-Surgical Phase
When conservative treatment options for an injury or health condition fails to provide effective relief, many patients elect to undergo surgery for rotator cuff tears and other types of injury, including:
- Full or partial knee replacements
- Total hip replacements
- ACL, MCL, and/or meniscus repairs
- Heart surgery (e.g., ablations, stent placements, cardiac pacemakers, etc.)
The impact of these surgeries should not be understated. Most surgeries incur at least some degree pain, inflammation, mobility limitations, and swelling. To complicate matters, you likely were already experiencing pain and dysfunction prior to your operation!
Plus, you’ll likely have to learn how to do certain things some things all over again (even things as simple as walking and dressing), either to accommodate healing tissues and/or to avoid recurring dysfunction. Your physical therapist can teach you how to perform tasks safely while following critical post-operative guidelines (e.g. hip precautions, sternal precautions, spine precautions, non-weight bearing, etc.) which are often outlined by your surgeon.
How Physical Therapy Helps in Post-Surgical Rehab
No matter what your particular surgery may be, you can rely upon a physical therapist to get you moving again. Our physical therapy team is here to help you make sense of confusing medical terms and learn the right progressions of exercises and activities to maximize post-surgical recovery!
Instead of masking pain, physical therapy helps you resolve your pain and other impairments. We do this through techniques such as joint mobilizations, home exercise programs, and non-invasive modalities including therapeutic ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and cold laser therapy.
Depending on your post-operative environment, a physical therapist can also help you problem solve how to safely get in and out of a car, up and down stairs, in and out of bed, and so on while protecting your healing surgical site and keeping you safe. We can give you adaptive tools to compensate for reduced movement while at the same time working with your body to restore normal range of movement as quickly as possible.
Lastly, our physical therapy team can also educate you about lifestyle and nutritional techniques to optimize your healing and health in the long-term. That way, you’ll be far more likely to avoid re-injury, recurrent surgeries, and prolonged downtime.
Feeling anxious about an upcoming surgery? Contact our physical therapy clinic today to schedule a post-surgical consultation and set yourself up for post-operative success!
