The road to recovery does not end after surgery. After-surgery rehab can be just as crucial as the surgery, and physiotherapy is a key component in ensuring a long-term recovery. Post-surgery rehabilitation is important for a healthy, injury-free life, whether you have had a spinal surgery or a soft tissue repair.
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Post-Surgery Physiotherapy: What is its role?
The body requires time to heal after surgery. However, recovery is more than just waiting and letting the body repair itself. Physiotherapy involves a structured method that includes exercises and techniques to improve flexibility, strength, and mobility. Physiotherapists tailor these rehabilitation programs to meet the needs of each individual patient, taking into account the type of surgery, their general health, and recovery goals.
Post-surgery physical therapy has several primary goals.
- Restoring range: Surgery may limit movement in joints, muscles, or soft tissues. This can make everyday activities more difficult. Exercises in physiotherapy help to restore full range of movement, allowing patients to move more freely and comfortably.
- Rebuilding Strength After surgery, muscles may weaken if they are inactive or immobile for a while. Physiotherapy helps strengthen muscles and tissues to prevent injuries caused by weakness and restore function.
- Promote healing. Physiotherapy can help the body’s natural healing process. It reduces swelling and improves circulation.
- Improve posture and body mechanics: Post-surgery rehab focuses on correcting the posture and movement patterns to reduce the strain on the muscles and prevent future injuries.
Why Post-Surgery Physical Therapy is Important to Prevent Future Injuries
Surgery can help with immediate problems, but the body needs more to recover in the long term than just healing the injury or wound. Patients who do not receive proper rehabilitation are at risk for developing compensatory behaviors that could lead to further injuries. Here are some ways that physiotherapy after surgery can prevent further injuries.
1. Restoring Balance and Symmetry
Often, surgery affects only one part of the human body and can lead to imbalances. After knee surgery, you might favor your unaffected side, causing overuse injuries to the lower back or other leg. Physiotherapists evaluate your posture and movements to determine areas of imbalance. By addressing imbalances as early as possible, physiotherapy can help prevent future injuries by preventing additional strain on other parts of the body.
2. Rebuilding Muscle Power
Muscles and joints may weaken after surgery due to inactivity or disuse. Untreated, these muscles may not recover their full strength and function. This leaves the body susceptible to further injuries. Physiotherapy can help rebuild the strength of the muscles around the injured area. It speeds up the recovery process and helps the body to withstand daily demands without getting injured. Strong muscles help to support the joints and tissues of the body, reducing strain or injury.
3. Enhancing Flexibility & Mobility
After surgery, scar tissue can form and restrict flexibility. This tightness may lead to compensatory motions that increase the risk of injury. Stretching exercises are included in post-surgery physical therapy to increase flexibility and restore movement. Regaining mobility allows patients to move more freely, which reduces the risk of falling, strains, or overuse injuries.
4. Improve Posture and Alignment
Surgery can change how we hold and move our bodies. This is especially true if it affects the spine or hips. Physiotherapists help patients improve their posture and alignment to ensure that the body moves efficiently and is in balance. Incorrect body mechanics or poor posture can put additional strain on the muscles and joints. This increases the risk of injury. Physiotherapy can help prevent future issues and promote better health by addressing these early problems.
5. Reduce Swelling and Pain
Many patients will experience swelling and pain after surgery. This can cause poor posture and limit their movement. Chronic pain, if left untreated, can cause the body to compensate by changing its movements to avoid discomfort. Manual therapy, massage techniques, and other modalities are used by physiotherapists to reduce swelling and pain, allowing patients to move more freely. Early pain reduction can also help prevent maladaptive movements that may lead to future injury.
6. Promoting Long-Term Wellness
It’s not just about the recovery from surgery, but also about making sure the patient is ready for everyday life. Physiotherapy can help patients gain confidence and independence by improving their strength, flexibility, and posture. In addition, physiotherapists are able to provide advice on lifestyle changes, such as ergonomic adjustments or exercises, that can help maintain optimal health. This holistic approach supports long-term health by ensuring that recovery goes beyond surgery.
Early Intervention and Its Importance
To avoid complications and develop poor movement patterns, it’s important to start physiotherapy immediately after surgery. Early intervention is not only beneficial to the recovery process, but it also helps reduce the risk of long-term injury. The earlier a patient starts rehabilitation, the faster they can recover strength, flexibility, and function.
