When planning to undergo hip or knee replacement surgery, physical therapy is an important step in recovery. However, what many people don’t know is that physical therapists are also there to provide patients with “pre-habilitation” or pre-operative rehabilitation. Recovery can begin before the procedure, helping you to optimize post-surgery results.
Pre-Habilitation
Having a structured pre-operative rehabilitation program holds many benefits in restoring flexibility, strength, and overall joint mobility after the surgical procedure. Our programs are specially designed by dedicated physical therapist providers to set you up for success after the operation.
The goals of the pre-habilitation program may include:
- Understanding and preparing for surgery.
- Improved strength and control for better post-surgery results.
- Reduction of pain and inflammation around the injured area.
- Understanding and preparing for post-surgery exercises.
Rehabilitation
The more commonly known form of physical therapy is post-operative rehabilitation. With the help of physical therapy after joint orthopedic surgeries on the knee or hip, the goal is to retrain and strengthen the body part back to the normal range of motion. The retraining process is designed to optimize the healing process and get you back to feeling like yourself again.
Our physical therapists create individualized exercise programs with goals like reducing pain and inflammation, regaining normal movement, and flexibility to fit your lifestyle, and properly caring for the severity of your operation.
Rehabilitation programs post hip/knee replacement may include:
- Exercises for flexibility and increased muscle range.
- Instruction for home exercises and self-treatment.
- Muscle strength and endurance.
- Coordination and balance training.
- Pain and inflammation control methods.
