Are you headed to orthopedic surgery in the near future? Whether the procedure resolves an injury or helps you find relief from a chronic condition, physical therapy after surgery is essential in ensuring the best possible outcomes.
After surgery, your body needs additional support to regain mobility, strength, and function. A structured rehabilitation program–designed by the Burlingame Therapeutic Associates Physical Therapy physical therapists to meet your specific needs–can make your post-surgical recovery safer and more efficient.
Today, we want to explore physical therapy’s role in post-surgical care and what you can expect from the process. Keep reading to learn more!
Four Benefits of Physical Therapy After Surgery
Reduces Pain and Swelling
- We offer several techniques, such as manual therapy, targeted activation exercises, and treatment modalities, that help reduce inflammation and alleviate post-surgical pain.
Restores Mobility
- Physical therapy focuses on gradually restoring your joint’s range of motion, which can be limited due to surgical incisions, joint stiffness, or inactivity. Improving your range of motion helps improve overall mobility, making it easier to continue your rehabilitation.
Prevents Complications
- Post-surgical rehab helps prevent complications like blood clots or scar tissue formation, which can cause long-term pain and restricted mobility.
Enhances Strength
- We’ll help you regain strength in key muscle groups, supporting your body as it heals and helping prevent re-injury. Enhanced strength also makes it easier to regain the functional movements that will allow you to return to your day-to-day activities.
Common Techniques Used in Physical Therapy After Surgery
Our physical therapists will work with you and other members of your surgical team to create a personalized post-surgical rehabilitation program. We incorporate several techniques into our programs, including the following:
Pain Management
Physical therapy after surgery also includes several noninvasive pain management techniques to help patients recover with less discomfort. Depending on your needs, we might utilize ice and heat therapy, electrical stimulation, or breathing and relaxation exercises (to name a few).
Manual Therapy
Manual therapy relieves stiffness, reduces swelling, and improves circulation. Therapists use gentle mobilizations and soft tissue techniques to reduce muscle tightness, enhance joint mobility, and improve blood flow to promote healing.
Manual therapy can be especially helpful for joints and muscles that may have stiffened after surgery, encouraging better mobility and range of motion.
Targeted Mobility, Strength, and Balance Exercises
Therapeutic exercise is a central part of physical therapy after surgery–it’s necessary for building mobility, strength, and function. Your program will likely include the following:
- Stretches to restore range of motion and relieve tension
- Low-impact strength exercises to rebuild muscles weakened by surgery or inactivity
- Exercises that improve balance and stability, especially if your surgery affects your weight-bearing joints.
Functional Training
The ultimate goal of physical therapy after surgery is to help you return to your favorite activities–whether that’s playing sports or playing with the grandkids. We’ll guide you through training that mimics the specific movement you perform in work, play, and day-to-day life and provide you with a return-to-activity schedule so you can ease back into things safely and quickly.
Begin Your Recovery Journey with Burlingame Therapeutic Associates Physical Therapy
If you’re going in for surgery, the Burlingame Therapeutic Associates Physical Therapy team can aid in every step of your recovery–from managing pain to improving long-term outcomes. With the help of a skilled physical therapist, you can navigate the recovery process confidently and work toward restoring your strength and mobility.
Schedule an appointment at our Burlingame, CA clinic today to get started.
Tags: mobility restoration, post-surgical recovery, pain management, rehabilitation techniques
