If you are considering surgery, you are probably well aware of the need for rehab post-surgery. Rehab sessions with a physical therapist are a major part of the process of getting surgery — without the physical therapy of rehab, it is difficult and sometimes impossible to get on your feet again.
What you may not have heard of is pre-hab. Where rehab is physical therapy following surgery, pre-hab is the process of working with a physical therapist to prepare your body for surgery. Pre-hab with a physical therapist has been shown to reduce recovery times and improve outcomes after surgery. It is a valuable tool, one we want to help you take advantage of.
Let our physical therapy team help you with pre-hab. Please contact us to speak to a physical therapist and learn more about what pre-hab can do for you!
What Is the Difference Between Rehab and Pre-hab?
Understanding Rehab
When you go through surgery, it is normal to feel some pain and discomfort. The pain can cause you to avoid certain movements. You may also have to limit your movement for a time to ensure proper healing. Unfortunately, not moving can cause serious problems over the long-term. Your body can form adhesions and inflammation can set in. To combat these undesirable outcomes, you need to move.
Rehab is a must following surgery. A physical therapist can help you move safely — movement that will keep adhesions from forming and fight inflammation. Physical therapy also makes you stronger so you can get back to your normal life after surgery.
Understanding Pre-hab
Pre-hab with a physical therapist helps you get a jump-start on the recovery process. It can even make surgery more successful. Physical therapy designed for pre-hab works to strengthen your body before the surgery. It also reduces inflammation, which can make the job of the surgeon easier.
You can think of pre-hab as stocking away health for a later time. Spending even a few sessions with a physical therapist builds up your health account, so when you are out of the running for a while post-surgery, you have more strength to draw on. Instead of starting out rehab with a fully depleted account, you will have a reserve already — one that will make your rehab work more successful and faster.
How Much Does Pre-hab Help?
Physical therapy for pre-hab is a pretty easy concept to understand. But has it been proven? The answer is a definite, “Yes!” According to the Arthritis Foundation, a study conducted by three universities in Boston — one of them being Harvard — demonstrated that patients who engaged in pre-hab had much better outcomes following surgery.
Working with a physical therapist before surgery makes it possible to get out of the hospital faster, too. A good example of this can be seen in knee replacement patients. Patients who went through physical therapy for pre-hab before knee surgery are able to meet the requirements to get out of the hospital more quickly than those who did not go through physical therapy prior to surgery.
In most cases, knee replacement patients must walk a certain distance and travel up several stairs before they can leave. For patients that have worked with a physical therapist before surgery, meeting these requirements is easier to do. Their bodies are stronger due to the physical therapy. Even after surgery, they are stronger than those who have not worked with a physical therapist.
Your Source for Pre-hab
The benefits of physical therapy for pre-hab are undeniable. So, how do you sign up? We are here to make getting pre-hab as simple and convenient as possible. Please contact our team to schedule an appointment with a physical therapist. Let us help you get stronger to improve your surgery outcome!
