Pre and Post Surgery

Pre-operative rehabilitation, sometimes called pre-habilitation, is important in optimising the outcome of a procedure, by ensuring the joints, muscles and ligaments are in the best possible condition before undergoing surgery. While the need for rehabilitation following surgery is well understood, the importance of exercising before surgery is frequently overlooked.

Because of the many months of pain and reduced activity leading up to surgery, the muscles become weaker, and walking, balance and fitness deteriorate. Therapists therefore recommend a program of land and/or water based strengthening, flexibility and general fitness exercises for 30 to 60 minutes, three times a week for at least six weeks prior to surgery.

Other benefits of pre-surgery treatment programmes include

• Improved balance, which reduces the risk of falls.
• Weight loss, which reduces stresses on joints.
• Improved general fitness, which decreases the risk of surgical and post-operative complications.
• Familiarisation with the exercises that will be performed as part of the post-surgery treatment. 

Appropriate post-op rehabilitation is important in achieving the optimum outcome from a procedure and in minimising the risk of complications.

A structured post-surgery treatment programme reduces contractures from scarring of the tissues around the joint as it heals. These contractures prevent the full range of movement, which impedes mobility.

Postoperative exercise helps to restore the range of movement in the joint, decreases pain, improves muscle strength and mobility, and gets the patient back to normal sooner. Depending on the type of surgery, post-surgery treatment can be chiropractic, podiatry or occupational therapy based.

Rehabilitation re-establishes proper joint motion, muscle strength around the joint, and actual joint function. Post-surgery treatment is a progressive activity designed to safely increase workloads and stimuli on the repaired joint during the recovery process.

When a patient undergoes cartilage surgery of the knee, ankle or shoulder, for example, they should be aware that they need a long recovery period. Part of the rehabilitation process requires properly stimulating the limb and joint. This is, biologically, a very complex process, because the tissue needs time to mature. It is therefore very important that the patient is committed to the whole process.

Consequently, the core of rehabilitation is doing the right exercises at the right time, with the right balance between not enough and too much exercise. It is important to understand that, for each patient, the time will not be the same.

At Burswood Health our therapists provide holistic health care so you can achieve a timely and sustainable recovery. Book an appointment with us now to discuss your pre- and post-surgery treatment for a better outcome and reduced recovery time following your surgical procedure!