Pre-Surgery Rehabilitation Physical Therapy

Preparing for surgery involves more than scheduling the procedure. Just as an athlete trains for a big event, your body can be conditioned to handle the stress of surgery and recover more effectively. This preparation is known as pre-surgery rehabilitation, or "prehab." A proactive approach, prehabilitation uses physical therapy to improve your strength, flexibility, and overall health before your operation.

  • Offering Improved Surgery Outcomes: Improve your surgical outcome by strengthening your body beforehand, leading to faster recovery times and fewer complications.
  • Enhancing Recovery Through Comprehensive Care: Receive a full pre-surgery program that includes a full assessment, targeted exercises, and education on post-operative care.
  • Taking a Proactive, Tailored Approach: Benefit from a personalized prehab plan tailored by our expert therapists to your specific surgery and individual goals.

Engaging in prehab can significantly enhance your surgical outcome and streamline your recovery process.

Why Pre-Surgery Rehabilitation?

Investing time in physical therapy before your surgery can lead to significant benefits. By improving your physical condition beforehand, you set the stage for a smoother, faster recovery.

Key advantages of prehabilitation through targeted physical therapy include:

  • Improved Recovery Times: Patients who participate in prehab often regain function and return to their daily activities more quickly after surgery.
  • Reduced Complications: Strengthening the muscles around the surgical site and improving your overall fitness can lower the risk of post-operative complications.
  • Enhanced Physical Readiness: Going into surgery stronger and more flexible can help your body better withstand the physical demands of the procedure and the recovery period that follows.
  • Better Pain Management: Prehab can help manage pre-operative pain and may reduce the need for pain medication after surgery.
  • Mental and Emotional Preparation: Understanding the recovery process and taking an active role in your preparation can reduce anxiety and build confidence.

What to Expect in a Pre-Surgery PT Program

Your pre-surgery physical therapy program is a structured plan designed to get you in the best possible shape for your surgical procedure. This program is designed to foster a collaborative partnership between you and your therapist.

A typical prehabilitation program includes:

  • Comprehensive Assessment: Your physical therapist will start by evaluating your strength, range of motion, movement patterns, and overall functional ability. This helps identify specific areas that need improvement.
  • Targeted Exercises: Based on your assessment, you will receive a customized exercise plan. This may include strengthening exercises for key muscle groups, flexibility and mobility work, and cardiovascular conditioning.
  • Education: A crucial part of prehab is learning what to expect after your surgery. Your therapist will teach you how to use crutches or a walker, how to move safely to avoid injury, and what exercises you can begin immediately following your procedure.

Prehab for Different Surgeries

While prehab is beneficial for nearly any surgery, it is especially valuable for major orthopedic procedures. Prehab for a knee or hip replacement, for example, may put a heavier focus on strengthening the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles. For those undergoing shoulder surgery, the focus of a prehabilitation plan will be on the rotator cuff and surrounding shoulder blade muscles.

Spine surgery<link Back and Neck>, however, requires a unique approach to prehab. Before a procedure like a spinal fusion or discectomy, it is vital to strengthen the core muscles that support your spine. A strong and stable core can help protect the surgical area, improve posture, and reduce strain on your back during recovery.

Our therapists will guide you through gentle, safe exercises to build core strength and educate you on proper body mechanics to use after your operation.

How Our Therapists Personalize Prehab

We believe that effective prehab is never one-size-fits-all. Your body, your upcoming surgery, and your personal goals are unique.

Our therapists take a highly personalized approach to develop a program that works for you:

  1. We start by listening to your concerns and understanding your lifestyle.
  2. We combine the specifics of your surgeon's recommendations with our clinical expertise to design a personalized prehab plan tailored to your individual needs.
  3. We continuously monitor your progress and adjust your program as needed.

Our goal is to ensure you feel confident, strong, and fully prepared on the day of your surgery.

Get Started with Pre-Surgery Rehabilitation

Take control of your surgical outcome by starting your preparation today. A proactive approach with pre-surgery physical therapy can make a significant difference in your recovery journey.

To schedule a physical therapy consultation at The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics Orthopaedic Associates of Central Maryland Division, you can either connect with us via Klara messaging for seamless communication or give us a call directly at (443) 478-4449. You can also call us for other orthopedic services at (410) 644-1880 or our toll-free number at (855) 4MD-BONE. Our dedicated team of specialists is here to help you achieve your prehabilitation goals.