Pre-Surgery Physical Therapy

So you are having surgery and know you are in for physical therapy after, but have you ever considered physical therapy before having surgery? Studies have shown that preoperative physical therapy can reduce postoperative care use. For example, patients undergoing hip or knee replacement, preoperative therapy can reduce postoperative care use by 29 percent. In addition to thoracic, abdominal, and major joint replacement surgery, preoperative training also benefits cardiovascular surgery. “There is high quality evidence that preoperative exercise in patients scheduled for cardiovascular surgery is well tolerated and effective.”

“Researchers believe that the benefit of preoperative physical therapy was derived mostly from the way it prepared patients for postoperative rehabilitation.” The preoperative training only needs to be mild to render positive results. It does not to include intensive training sessions. Benefits include pain relief, a reduction of complications of surgery, shortened hospital stays, and a faster restoration of the patient’s range of motion. This can add up to thousands of dollars in savings. Of course, patients should participate in postoperative exercise as soon as possible after surgery to get back to full strength as quickly as possible.

Ideally, you should try to start a preoperative program six weeks in advance. But sometimes patients are not given that much time before a surgery date. Any preoperative therapy is beneficial. No matter what kind of surgery you are going to have, recovery can be a tremendous challenge. Starting preoperative therapy before surgery will give your body the added edge it needs to recover faster and more efficiently. The healthier you are and the better you feel will make a great difference. We at Accel Physical Therapy wish you luck in your upcoming surgery!

References:
https://www.apta.org/PTinMotion/News/2014/10/2/PreOperativePT/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4072442/

Physical therapy before surgery?

We’re proud to be Brunswick (Maine) and Greater Brunswick’s go-to for physical therapy. Located on the Brunswick Landing, we’re here to get you healthy – and happy – once again! When you need physical therapy, do not hesitate to reach out to us!

Dry Needling for Headaches

If you don’t experience headaches, then I’m sure you have a loved one that does.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that about 15% of people in the U.S. experienced a “severe” headache or migraine within a 3-month period.  Headaches and...

read more

Patellofemoral Knee Pain

The knee joint is made up of 3 main bones – the femur (thigh bone), tibia (shin bone), and patella (kneecap). When the knee is straight the femur and tibia are stacked over one another, and as the knee bends the femur and tibia hinge open. The kneecap is smooth on the...

read more

October is National Physical Therapy Month!

Did you know, October is National Physical Therapy month? This month we recognize the importance of physical therapy in healthcare. The profession of Physical Therapy was developed in the early 1900’s to help people recover from polio and soldiers returning from WWI. ...

read more
Pay Bill