Did You Know That PT is Essential BEFORE Surgery Too?
Are you dreading an upcoming surgery? Working with a physical therapist both before and after surgery can help ease your transition and even improve your outcomes. Working with a physical therapist before your surgery – also known as “prehab” – can help you prepare emotionally and physically for your procedure.
Physical therapy, according to the American Physical Therapy Association, can help with overall wellness and injury prevention. After you undergo surgery, physical therapy can assist in ensuring a complete and speedy recovery. If your surgery is approaching, please contact Atta Rehab to learn more about how physical therapy can assist you with both preparation and recovery.
What do I need to know about prehab and rehab?
You may be familiar with post-surgical rehabilitation or rehabilitation after surgery. It makes sense – when you have a surgical procedure, your body loses a lot of strength, and rehabilitation treatments are required to help you regain function.
Post-surgical rehabilitation typically focuses on specific exercises and stretches aimed at relieving pain, improving strength, and restoring optimum function in the affected area(s) of your body. Manual therapy, ice and heat therapies, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and other modalities may be used as needed. Essentially, post-surgical rehab aids in your full recovery from surgery.
Pre-operative rehabilitation, or prehab, is a little different. It focuses on pre-surgery stretches and exercises to prepare your body for the procedure ahead. According to the National Institutes of Health, engaging in exercise therapies prior to surgery can significantly improve post-operative outcomes and shorten recovery time.
It is no secret that surgery is hard on the body, so preparing yourself ahead of time with strengthening stretches and exercises can greatly improve your outcomes. It can also help you mentally prepare for surgery by giving you peace of mind that you did everything possible to make the procedure as easy on your body as possible.
What can I expect from prehab?
For many people, surgery is a frightening necessity. You may need an operation to improve your health in some way, but the prospect of being sedated and operated on is still quite worrisome. Working with a physical therapist ahead of time can help to alleviate these concerns. In addition, you will have a solid plan in place for your post-surgery recovery.
Working with a physical therapist before surgery can help you prepare for the changes you’ll have to adjust to after your operation. For example, your therapist can prepare you for driving, moving around your house, your eventual return to work, and a post-operative exercise plan that won’t jeopardize your recovery. Your therapist can also recommend assistive devices, such as a cane or walker, that you may require after surgery.
Prehab with a physical therapist may include recommendations for establishing a “recovery zone” in your home. If your bedroom is on the second floor of your home, for example, you might want to set up a bedroom or resting area on the first floor to avoid having to use the stairs frequently after surgery.
Items in the kitchen that you may need to reach should be placed on lower shelves ahead of time, where they are easily accessible. Physical therapy will be invaluable to your recovery, but therapeutic rest will also be beneficial. Prepare a space in your home where you can comfortably sit, rest, and relax.
Exercise will also be a part of your pre-surgery physical therapy plan. Strength training, stretching for flexibility, and aerobic exercise to improve oxygen flow will all aid in your recovery from surgery. Getting in shape before surgery can even eliminate the need for inpatient rehabilitation with a physical therapist.
Rehabilitation after surgery
Working with a physical therapist can begin soon after your surgery, possibly even on the same day. Depending on the type of surgery you’ve had, your therapist can teach you how to get in and out of bed, use mobility assistance devices, dress, and use the restroom properly.
Physical therapy will then assist you in recovering and returning to a normal life. A physical therapy exercise plan will be designed to gradually rebuild your strength while minimizing the risk of tearing sutures or reinjuring yourself.
Remember that a physical therapist has a wide range of tools and techniques at their disposal, and they are specifically trained in the best ways to assist you in recovering from an injury or surgery. For example, after surgery, you probably won’t be going to the gym for heavy weightlifting sessions, followed by a 10-mile treadmill run.
To reduce strain on muscles recovering from surgery, you are much more likely to engage in water-based training sessions in a pool. You may also learn assisted exercises, in which your therapist or a home helper assists you in moving your limbs to contract muscles without straining or reinjuring yourself.
Don’t wait until after surgery, contact Atta Rehab today!
If you have a surgery approaching and would like to learn more about how physical therapy can aid in your preparations and recovery, please contact our office to make an appointment today. Our dedicated team is ready to help you make it through your surgery and thrive in your recovery.
Contact Atta Rehab today for better long-term health and better surgical outcomes.
