If you’ve ever had to give up an activity you love like golfing, gardening, or playing in the yard with your grandchild due to stiff and painful joints, you may be looking forward to the restored mobility offered by a hip or knee replacement. After surgery, rehabilitation will be vital to helping you recover and return to an active lifestyle. To make sure the rehabilitation process after an orthopedic surgery is smooth, follow these five tips:
1. UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE
Physical therapy is a necessary part of most orthopedic surgeries. Therapy will begin in the hospital and continue for several weeks in an outpatient physical therapy clinic after surgery.
But why is it so important? Physical therapy will help you:
- Reduce pain and swelling
- Restore normal movement in your joint
- Build strength in the joint and surrounding muscles
- Prepare you to return to normal activities
- Help with circulation, assist in avoiding blood clots and post-operative infection.
2. MEASURE PROGRESS
Be sure your physical therapist provides a complete plan for therapy. Your plan should include how many days a week you will receive therapy and for how long, as well as specific goals. Your therapists should monitor your progress throughout each appointment and adjust the therapy plan if needed.
3. TAKE THE PASSENGER SEAT
Typically, if you have had a total joint replacement, you will not be allowed to drive for a number of weeks. Be sure you have someone who can take you to appointments and help with necessities such as the grocery store or drugstore. You should also have your therapist show you ways to get in and out of the car safely so you don’t injure your joint.
4. PERSEVERE
You may feel sore or tired after your physical therapy, but don’t give up! Completing all of your prescribed therapy sessions will help you reach your goals for greater mobility and recovery. You should be able to walk longer distances without getting tired and complete more tasks independently as you progress. Before you know it, you will be back to living life at 100%.
5. PLAN AHEAD
You and your doctor can make a rehabilitation plan and select your physical therapy provider before surgery. Planning ahead will make it easier to focus on your recovery and help you approach your surgery with confidence. In many cases, you will start therapy within a few days of having your surgery.
6. Create Goals
Creating goals for yourself is the best way to achieve a successful rehabilitation outcome. When starting physical therapy, you must think what is it that you want to accomplish at the end of your program. Goals are often very individualized, but then again so is the rehabilitation process. Your goals should be realistic an attainable but something that is important to you.
Functional goals could include:
- Walking without a walker or cane
- To be able to walk from your bed to the restroom
- Walking up and down stairs
- To return to work
- To be able to sit and stand without pain
Whereas personal goals may include:
- To return to work
- To return to hobbies: golfing, gardening, soccer, etc.
- To be able to get down on the ground and play with grandkids
- To ride a bike or motorcycle again
Once you have set your goals, it is important to sit down with your physical therapist on the first visit and discuss them together.
HOW TO CHOOSE A REHABILITATION PROVIDER
There are many factors to consider in choosing a rehabilitation provider after surgery. You DO HAVE A CHOICE in where you have your physical therapy.
There are a lot of excellent Physical Therapists and PT clinics out there. You have every right to make sure you are with the right Physical Therapist, in the right environment and setting to get you better. Your physician may recommend a company that they like or refer to often or are financially vested in, but make sure that the office works for you and will not load you into an overcrowded office where you are working exclusively with an aide or a different PT each session. When searching for “Physical Therapy near you,” consider the questions above, read patient reviews and choose the PT clinic that best meets YOUR needs. Having the right team, you will get better, faster, and with less of a risk of reinjury.
Contact us and exercise your patient’s right to choose.
At Elite Physical Therapy, we applaud a patient’s right to choose who provides their physical therapy. We know that you have options, so we work hard to earn your trust. We have served the Cenla community for over 20 years. We have a proven track record that will put your mind at ease.
Starting today, exercise your right to information by checking us out. Then exercise your patient’s right to choose and request your physician to refer you to us when the time comes. Finally, contact us on our website or at 318.443.3311 to schedule an appointment today.
