Every year, our physical therapy team meets hundreds of individuals recovering from surgery. Physical therapy is a safe, natural, and healthy way to aid your body in getting better after dealing with the stress that accompanies an operation.
Whether you’re undergoing a joint replacement, knee surgery, or some other procedure, we’re confident that working with a physical therapist can help you heal and get back to your active lifestyle as efficiently and safely as possible.
Are you ready to get started on your recovery? Contact Austin Manual Therapy Associates today to schedule an appointment with one of our Austin, TX physical therapists.
Minimize or eliminate your pain with post-surgical rehabilitation
Many of the interventions and therapeutic techniques we provide in physical therapy work directly on the central nervous system to help modulate pain signals being sent to your brain, while others help reduce swelling, inflammation, and stiffness.
A physical therapist can teach you exercises, provide manual interventions like massage, and implement non-invasive modalities that can work together to alleviate your pain and even reduce your dependence on pain-relieving medications, including opioids.
Of course, after having a procedure done, it’s normal to experience pain. In surgery cases such as hip and knee replacements, taking your pain medication as prescribed can help you participate in your physical therapy more fully. Make sure you talk to your doctor about your pain medication options first and do not stop or start taking anything without their input.
Physical therapy is an integral component of effective pain management after an operation. Don’t hesitate to contact Austin Manual Therapy Associates about scheduling your first appointment. We can help you on your road to recovery.
Benefits of post-surgical rehabilitation
It’s important to start a post-surgical rehabilitation plan as soon as your doctor states that you’re ready.
The following are a few of the benefits of post-surgical rehab.
- Regain Lost Strength– The more quickly you regain strength and stamina, the more quickly you’ll get back to your daily routine. A physical therapy program can be designed to target the specific areas in your body that need to be strengthened after surgery.
- Reduce Pain and Swelling– The right type of post-surgical treatment can help reduce the amount of pain and swelling you experience after your surgery. Icing and ultrasound are both techniques a physical therapist may use to reduce localized swelling and pain. According to PT in Motion News, patients that received the same day of post-operative physical therapy needed fewer opioids after knee surgery.
- Improve Circulation– Improved circulation not only facilitates faster healing but reduces the chance of a blood clot forming. Something as simple as a massage can improve circulation. Many types of basic exercises and simple movements prescribed by a physical therapist can promote increased blood circulation.
Participating in a post-surgical rehab program can also help to reduce your risk of complications.
Any surgery comes with at least some level of risk for complications including infections, range of motion limitations, hardware malfunction, and postoperative bleeding.
If your surgeon requests that you follow certain precautions or activity restrictions for a while following your operation, your physical therapist can teach you how to follow these restrictions and progress or modify them appropriately as time goes on.
Physical therapists are skilled movement specialists who know how to teach you safe ways to move and function in your daily life. Physical therapists can also prescribe and fit adaptive equipment such as walkers and braces to further protect your healing tissues and help you mobilize more safely.
Your physical therapist can also act as a supportive liaison between you and your surgeon and keep them updated on your treatment plan. This way, if any concerns arise there can be faster communication between everyone involved in your medical progress.
Working with a physical therapist after undergoing an intense surgery may help reduce the likelihood of experiencing a complication, which reduces stress, saves money, and protects your short-term and long-term health!
Accelerate your recovery with post-surgical physical therapy
Our bodies are incredibly powerful and capable of healing themselves, but a little extra help can’t hurt!
The type of non-invasive and drug-free services and techniques a physical therapist can offer can enhance self-healing power and work with the body—instead of just covering up symptoms.
Your physical therapy team can help you stay on track during your recovery period so you can regain and maximize your strength, balance, range of motion, endurance, and overall function as quickly as possible, by minimizing pain and reducing the risk of complications.
Ready to return to your normal routine?
At Austin Manual Therapy Associates, our therapists are dedicated to helping you recover from surgery and get back to doing the things you love. Contact our Austin, TX office today to schedule an appointment; we are looking forward to treating you!
