Surgery – pre and post-op physio
Joint Replacement Surgery
Pre-op
If you are planning to undergo hip or knee replacement surgery then improving the strength around the joint prior to the surgery will assist in your recovery. The pain and the altered patterns of using the affected joint over the weeks/months/years will have resulted in muscle wasting and weakness. If you are able to tolerate gentle light exercise then performing pre-operative specific exercises in the weeks/months leading up to the surgery could help speed up your postoperative recovery.
Post-op
Following the joint replacement surgery it is essential that you undergo a specific supervised strengthen program to ensure you maximise your recovery. It will takes months of dedication to your recovery to regain the strength and function your new joint offers you. There will also be habits/movement patterns that you developed pre-operatively in response to the pain that need to be changed. Your program also needs to be progressed over the months. The basic exercises you were given in hospital initially will no longer be appropriate several months down the track.
Kristen at Active Steps Physiotherapy has worked extensively with joint replacement patients over the past 15 years. She was the weekend Orthopedic ward physio at the Mater Hospital in Crows Nest for several years and also during her time in Lane Cove treated many post-op patients following their discharge home from hospital/rehab.
Arthroscopic Surgery
Pre-op
The type of injury you have sustained will determine if pre-op physiotherapy is appropriate/necessary. Please call or email Active Steps Physiotherapy to discuss your circumstances if you are unsure.
Post-op
Whether you have had loose bodies removed, a ‘general clean-out’ of a joint, a reconstruction of the joint or a tendon repair it is essential you undergo post-op Physiotherapy. When you commence treatment will depend on the surgical procedure. The treatment you receive will depend on what your surgeon has had to do to repair your joint. Ideally the sooner you commence treatment post operative the faster your recovery will be. Having said this there are time frames that need to be adhered to if your surgery has been extensive, and especially with tendon repairs there are specific waiting times between surgery and when it is safe to commence Physiotherapy. If you are unsure then either discuss with your surgeon or call Kristen at Active Steps Physiotherapy.