Pre-Surgical Physical Therapy
Many people expect to need surgery after they incur an injury, but a lot of the time, surgery isn’t necessary. In fact, nearly all of our patients who come to us expecting surgery don’t end up needing it! Orthopedic Physical therapy is a big reason why this is the case. We utilize a team-centered approach to your whole-body care. A number of specialists at our facility will work together to come up with the best diagnosis and treatment plan for you and your particular situation. We don’t just look at one symptom, but rather we look at your entire medical history, your current complaints and pain, and more. We explore the source of the pain and the root of every problem so that we’re not just covering up symptoms but are actually bringing about true healing and permanent correction.
Our comprehensive care is focused on you and your healing, and we will never recommend something you don’t need or push you to undergo something you’re not comfortable with. After a car accident, sports injury, fall, or another incident, many people expect surgery to be the only solution. We are prepared to do surgery if needed, but we like to exhaust our resources and possibilities before we do that. Even if you do end up needing surgery, we will have you take part in pre-surgical physical therapy to best prepare your body for the procedure and to begin strengthening your muscles as soon as possible to ensure the best recovery and fastest healing time possible.
Why Do I Need Pre-Surgical Physical Therapy?
Most people think that surgery is the end-all solution to their ailment. They believe that once surgery is done, their pain will subside, the issue will be fixed, and they’ll go on with their lives. While that would be great, there is a little more work required to ensure optimal recovery, healing, and health, both immediately after surgery and long-term. Doing pre-surgical physical therapy will strengthen your muscles, particularly those around the joints, which will help to better support your bones and joints as your body heals from surgery. It also increases the regrowth of bone cells and soft tissue cells, which improves range of motion and brings about more effective healing. Additionally, the stronger your body is before surgery, the faster you will recover and the less pain you will be in afterward. Improved muscle tone will help minimize inflammation and discomfort and allow you to return to your normal life faster. Research shows that people who go through pre-surgical physical therapy are more likely to have higher success rates of a full and faster recovery after surgery, and need less time in physical therapy rehabilitation.
What to Expect
When you schedule a Pre-Surgical physical therapy appointment, the first step is usually an assessment of your injury to determine the right course of treatment. Specialists will utilize diagnostic tools to determine the exact cause of pain or injury in order to address your condition. An MRI or CT scan will let AICA Orthopedics’ specialists take a closer look at joints, ligaments, muscles, and soft tissue in order to pinpoint the cause of discomfort. If your discomfort is nerve-related, tests such as an EMG will use electrical waves to assess nerve pain. The goal of PT before surgery is to improve your range of motion, mobility, and strength for the best possible outcome after surgery. Physical therapists at AICA Orthopedics will work with you on appropriate exercises to strengthen the injured part of the body as well as surrounding muscles to increase strength and give more stabilization. Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation, or NMES, can help improve muscle function for this purpose. Neuromuscular training can help offer stabilization to perform more athletic abilities such as jumping and landing properly. With the appropriate tools and training, physical therapists at AICA Orthopedics are equipped and prepared to help you with recovery both before and after surgery.
Is Pre Surgical Physical Therapy Worth It?
It may not make sense to some to undergo physical therapy before surgery. They ask questions such as “Won’t my knee already be painful, swollen, and have a limited range of motion before surgery?” or “Won’t all my pre-op work be lost after surgery anyway?” But research shows it is indeed in your best interest to prepare ahead of time for surgery with physical therapy. In fact, studies have shown that those who participated in pre-surgical PT had overall better long term effects and post-surgery outcomes than those who did not. They were able to regain strength and movement much quicker than those who didn’t have physical therapy ahead of time and also had a greater return rate for athletics. So engaging in preoperative physical therapy could be the right choice for you that can offer many benefits that will carry over even post-operation. Talk to an AICA Orthopedics’ specialist and discuss if Pre-surgical physical therapy at AICA Orthopedics is the right step for your treatment plan for your specific condition.
Pre-Surgical Physical Therapy at AICA Orthopedics
If you have been in a car accident or suffered an injury of any kind and have been told you need surgery, get in touch with us at AICA Orthopedics. Our specialists can give you a second opinion and begin your pre-surgical physical therapy as soon as possible. We may even be able to improve your condition with PT so much that you can avoid surgery altogether! We care about your health and our team of specialists will create a customized and comprehensive care plan for you to help you heal and recover as thoroughly as possible.
