Rehabilitation after an injury is important because it helps you heal faster, reduces pain and swelling, and improves joint mobility, flexibility and strength. What you may not realize though, is that doctors recommend rehabilitation before and after surgery.

In fact, a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine showed that patients who received pre- and post-surgery rehabilitation had much better outcomes after surgery than patients who only received post-surgery rehab.

“Rehabilitation doesn’t begin after surgery. In most cases, starting your rehabilitation before surgery can improve your outcome after surgery.”

Benefits of Pre-Surgery Rehabilitation

Before surgery, your physical therapist will teach you the skills you’ll need after surgery to get out of bed or a chair, how to use crutches or a walker, and recommend exercises to perform after surgery to speed your recovery.

• Pre-surgery rehabilitation has many benefits, including:
• Prepare you mentally for surgery
• Reduce pain and inflammation
• Improve your range of motion
• Increase muscular control of the injured area
• Improve overall well-being and fitness

Post-Surgical Rehabilitation

Post-surgical rehabilitation is a key part of your recuperation from injury and is typically prescribed to ensure your body heals properly after surgery, to minimize scar tissue, and to retrain your muscles.

The goals of post-surgery rehabilitation focus on restoring mobility, normal movement and habits, strengthening weakened and unused muscles, and reversing any functional loss.

Post-surgical rehabilitation begins anywhere from a few hours to a few days after surgery and can last for as little as a few weeks to as long as a year, depending on your injury. In addition to getting you back to your normal activities, physical therapy will help prevent your injury from reoccurring.

Physical therapy allows you to take an active role in your recovery, which will improve healing, give you the confidence to get back to normal activities, and reduces the chance that you’ll limit your activities for fear of re-injury.

Your Innovative Pain and Wellness provider will work with you to develop a pre- and post-surgery rehabilitation plan to help get back to your active lifestyle.