Any kind of surgery, whether elective or otherwise, will always put significant stress and strain on your body and you should expect to have some kind of recovery period to get through, the length of which will largely depend on the extent of the surgery in question.
Having physiotherapy after surgery is by no means uncommon and, in fact, it’s likely that it will be suggested by your medical team to help you with pain management, movement and mobility, getting you back on your feet sooner rather than later.
However, it can also be beneficial to consider having physiotherapy before your surgery, as well.
What is pre-surgery physiotherapy?
It’s important to make sure that your body is ready for surgery and physio can help with this, with benefits including:
- Strengthening the muscles to help support the body during the procedure, as well as afterwards, facilitating a quicker recovery
- Helping you prepare mentally for what can be very stressful, both physically and mentally
- Improving your range of motion in the affected area/the joints, supporting good flexibility to help you recover faster
- Potentially reducing the risks of complications after surgery
- Potentially even avoiding the surgery altogether if the physio proves to be particularly effective
Aim to start your physiotherapy at least a few weeks before your surgery is scheduled, but if you’re in any physical pain or discomfort, it’s generally advisable to seek medical guidance and advice if symptoms appear and don’t resolve themselves quickly.
Don’t forget about post-surgery physiotherapy!
After your procedure, you may well need to see a physiotherapist to restore normal function, helping to reduce swelling, pain and inflammation, as well as restoring muscle strength, improving stability and getting you back to normal activities as soon as possible.
If you’d like to find out more, get in touch with the Clear Physio team today.
