Physical and Occupational Therapy for Post-Operative Rehabilitation
Once the decision has been made that you need surgery, you have many things to think about. When the surgery is over your physician may be very satisfied with the results of the surgery, but you need to know how to go about getting back to full function without re-injuring yourself. At Rehab Specialists our physical and occupational therapists will help answer your questions like the ones below.
When should you seek or ask for help from physical therapy?
Depending on the surgery, often physical therapists may begin getting you moving before you leave the hospital. In a perfect world, you would see the physical therapist pre-surgery for an evaluation. This way the therapist can give you exercises to help you strengthen or stretch pre-surgery.
When this is done many patients find that they are less fearful and more functional in a shorter period of time.
Why is it important to do physical and occupational therapy post operatively?
Often patients are told to just go home and walk or use your limb. The surgery will take care of itself. Muscles and bones do heal without help; however the way that they heal may not be in an optimal position to allow you to continue to move without restrictions unless you do the proper stretching and strengthening that pertains to your injury.
