Whether you’re undergoing a joint replacement, a back surgery, or some other procedure, we’re confident that working with a physical therapist can help you heal up and get back to your active lifestyle as efficiently and safely as possible.
Every year, our physical therapy team meets thousands of individuals recovering from surgery.
Curious about why physical therapy is so important in the post-surgical window?
We’ve got three reasons to pique your interest! Call Empower Physical Therapy in AK today to schedule an appointment, and let us help you get back up on your feet after your operation!
Why should I go to physical therapy after surgery?
Here are three great reasons why you need to schedule physical therapy appointments for your post-surgical recovery period!
1. Physical therapy helps to accelerate your recovery.
Our bodies are extremely strong and capable of self-healing. A physical therapist’s non-invasive and drug-free services and procedures can help people improve their self-healing abilities and work with their bodies rather than just masking symptoms.
Your physical therapy team can help you stay on track during your rehabilitation by minimizing discomfort and limiting the risk of problems so that you can restore and maximize your strength, balance, range of motion, endurance, and overall function as quickly as possible.
2. Physical therapy can help you to control and minimize your pain.
A physical therapist can teach you exercises, provide manual interventions like massage, and implement non-invasive modalities that can work together to alleviate your pain and even reduce your reliance on pain-relieving medications, including opioids.
Many of the interventions we provide in physical therapy work directly on the central nervous system to help modulate pain signals being sent to your brain, while others help reduce inflammation, swelling, and stiffness.
Of course, pain is typical and expected following specific procedures, including hip and knee replacements. Taking your pain medication as prescribed can help you participate in your physical therapy more fully. So, it’s essential to talk to your doctor about your pain medication options and not to stop or start taking anything without his or her input.
That said, research shows that physical therapy is a safe alternative or beneficial component to effective pain management in the post-surgical window. So be sure to talk to your doctor about setting up a referral to see a physical therapist, too!
3. Attending regular appointments with a physical therapist can reduce the risk of complications.
Any surgery carries the potential of problems such as postoperative bleeding, infections, range of motion restrictions, and hardware malfunction.
Working with a physical therapist may help reduce the likelihood of experiencing a complication, which reduces stress, saves money, and protects your short-term and long-term health.
Physical therapists are trained to educate you on how to move and function safely in everyday situations. If your surgeon instructs you to follow particular precautions or activity limits for a period of time after your surgery, your physical therapist can teach you how to adhere to these restrictions and progress or adjust them as needed.
Physical therapists can also prescribe and fit adaptive equipment such as walkers and braces to further protect your healing tissues and help you mobilize more safely.
Your physical therapist can also act as a supportive liaison between you and your surgeon and keep them updated with your progress and needs. This way, if any concerns arise, there can be faster communication between all the need-to-know members of your medical team.
Should I see a physical therapist before and after surgery?
Pre-surgical rehabilitation and post-surgical rehabilitation can be used to make any surgical procedure as easy as possible on your body. While pre-surgical rehabilitation is not always required in a treatment plan, it is always recommended to yield the best results. The best results are always achieved through treatments before and after surgery.
So, to answer your question in short: absolutely!
For example, according to an article on shoulder replacement surgery published by the Hofmann Arthritis Institute,
“Formal physical therapy is not required before surgery, but it is advised to get in the best physical shape possible before surgery to lessen the change for complication and shorten your recovery time.”
The same article also states that “The day after surgery, you will begin working with physical therapy to become comfortable using your new shoulder.” This demonstrates how beneficial it is to complete both pre-surgical rehab and post-surgical rehab. Both are meant to make your recovery process as easy and comfortable as possible.
Request an appointment with us today
It’s never too early to start seeing a physical therapist! Contact our physical therapy clinic today to schedule an appointment for your post-surgical rehabilitation. We are also available to help you begin therapy in preparation for an upcoming surgery, all you have to do is pick up the phone and call us today!
