Get Back to Your Life Faster with Post-Surgical Rehabilitation

Are you in need of a surgical procedure in the future? Have you been fretting over your recovery time? Are you questioning how fast you’ll bounce back? When planning for surgery, these are normal worries. However, post-surgical rehab can help ease some of your stress.

If you are looking for the fastest way to recover from your procedure, consult with one of our Louisiana physical therapists today. Through an individualized treatment plan, we’ll make sure you have all the resources you need for a smooth and speedy recovery. Request an appointment at  Star Physical Therapy today to see how we can help you get back to your life faster after surgery!

How will post-surgical rehab benefit me?

Both pre- and post-surgical rehab are essential elements of successful outcomes. Any type of surgery can be considered a form of trauma and can affect the body differently. Even minor and uncomplicated surgical procedures can have a major impact on your health. Because of this, post-surgical rehab with a Louisiana physical therapist is especially important, in order to make sure everything goes smoothly after your operation is done.

Individualized post-surgical rehab with a physical therapist not only minimizes your pain and accelerates your rate of healing, but it can also reduce the chances of post-operative complications, including infections, bleeding, blood clots, muscle weakness, scar tissue, decreased function, and other factors that can negatively impact your long-term health.

Another critical reason for selecting post-surgical physical therapy is its ability to help you reduce or completely avoid prescription painkillers, including opioids. An opioid epidemic is currently gripping the country and impacting every socioeconomic class. According to the CDC, an estimated 115 people every day die from opioid overdose, and upwards of 29% of people prescribed opioids will end up misusing these dangerous drugs.

For this reason, the CDC advises people to choose physical therapy over prescription painkillers whenever possible.

Is my surgery necessary?

When conservative treatment options for an injury or health condition fail to provide effective relief, many physicians will recommend surgical correction. Some common conditions that may lead to surgery include, but are not limited to:

• Heart surgery – ablations, stent placements, cardiac pacemakers, etc.
• Rotator cuff tears
• ACL, MCL, and/or meniscus repairs
• Total hip replacements
• Full or partial knee replacements

The impact of these surgeries on your body should not be understated. Most surgeries incur at least some degree of pain, inflammation, mobility limitations, and swelling. To complicate matters, you likely were already experiencing pain and dysfunction prior to your operation!

To accommodate healing tissues and/or to avoid recurring dysfunction, it is likely that you will have to learn how to do certain things all over again, like walking and getting dressed. Our Louisiana physical therapists can teach you how to perform tasks safely while following critical post-operative guidelines. These guidelines are often outlined by your surgeon and could include hip precautions, sternal precautions, spine precautions, non-weight bearing, etc.

Find your post-surgical rehab plan today:

No matter what your surgery may be for, Star Physical Therapy can help get you back to your normal levels of physical function. Our treatment plans will include targeted stretches and exercises to maximize your recovery and relieve your pain.

While your physician may recommend pain management drugs, physical therapy has been known to relieve pain without the need for them. Pain-killing drugs mask the pain while physical therapy resolves the issue where it’s originating. This is achieved with specialized methods, techniques, and modalities, such as ultrasound, joint mobilizations, laser therapy, electrical stimulation, and home exercise programs.

The days and weeks following a surgical procedure can also result in physical limitations. Our physical therapist can advise you on ways to accommodate for such limitations, such as how to go up and down the stairs, put on clothes, or get in and out of a car. This can be done with the assistance of adaptive tools to compensate for reduced movement. By making these accommodations, you will be able to move around comfortably while also working to restore the normal range of movement in your body. 

Our Louisiana physical therapists are also dedicated to making sure you are living a healthy life, even after your post-surgical rehab treatments are over. Because of this, part of your treatment plan will also include education on any lifestyle and/or nutritional changes you can make in order to optimize your long-term health, avoid injuring yourself and avoid the need for additional surgeries in the future.

If you have a surgery coming up in the future, don’t wait to request an appointment with  Star Physical Therapy. We’ll help set you up for post-operative success!