Surgeons routinely refer post-surgical patients to our physical therapists to help them recover strength, function and mobility.
Our therapists provide one-on-one, evidence-based physical therapy treatment sessions to help facilitate your recovery and return to activities of daily living (ADLs), work, recreational activities and even competitive sports. We work closely with your physician to ensure that post-surgery guidelines and protocol are being adhered to and that they are kept up-to-date on your progress.
The rehabilitative process depends on the injury and type of surgery. We help patients recover and rehabilitate from a variety of orthopedic post-operative procedures, including:
- Knee, hip and shoulder joint replacements
- Reconstruction of any one or more of the four major knee ligaments: anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) and lateral collateral ligament (LCL)
- Arthroscopic knee surgeries (such as meniscectomies, meniscal repairs)
- Ligament and tendon repair, including Achilles tendon repairs
- Arthroscopic hip surgeries (such as labral repairs)
- Nerve releases (such as cubital tunnel, radial tunnel, carpal tunnel, tarsal tunnel)
- Neck and back surgery (such as fusions, laminectomy, decompression and discectomy)
- Nerve compression release
- Bone or joint fusion (arthrodesis)
- Tendon transfers
- Surgical fixation of fractures, including open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF), a two-part surgery used to fix broken bones where the broken bone is reduced (put back into place) and an internal fixation device is placed on the bone (e.g., screws, plates, rods or pins) to hold the bone together
- Shoulder post-surgical recovery for rotator cuff tears, labral tears, superior labrum anterior and posterior (SLAP) tear or lesion, arthroscopy and more
Some of the therapies used to accomplish the goal of regaining movement and reducing pain, swelling and stiffness may include one or more of the following:
- Manual therapy including soft tissue massage on the scar
- Other manual therapies to control for swelling and circulation
- Joint work when necessary for gaining back mobility.
- Gait and balance re-training to reduce limping
- Therapeutic exercise and functional strength training for return to recreation and daily activities
- Rehabilitative stretches and exercises to help increase balance and coordination
- Electric stimulation and other modalities for pain modulation
Patients with surgical repairs have to be given the utmost care and attention in physical therapy so they attain a strong and speedy recovery. Our Physical Therapists respect bone and tissue healing time, but also challenge body structures with appropriate, progressive exercise so the patient can return to different activities.
In physical therapy, dosing of exercise progression is paramount to a patient's healing continuum: too little and we risk prolonging the rehab phase, too much and we risk aggravating the pain. We are experts when it comes to this delicate balance and are committed to keeping you on track to full recovery.