Do you have a surgery planned in the near future? Is your job or sport physically demanding, putting you at risk of sustaining an injury? Are your muscles and joints simply not what they used to be, becoming frail and weak? If so, preventative rehabilitation, or “pre-hab,” may greatly benefit you.
Pre-hab helps in conditioning the body so it can heal quickly after surgery, speed up recovery processes, and prevent injuries from occurring. Pre-hab is typically split into two different categories: pre-hab for surgical recovery and pre-hab for injury prevention. For surgical recovery, pre-hab is done before the patient even goes under the knife – making the recovery period and surgery itself much easier. For injury prevention, pre-hab focuses on the patient’s problem areas and works to strengthen them to protect against physical damage. To learn more about preventative rehabilitation and the many benefits of it, contact us today!
Pre-hab and surgery:
It is normal to worry about the recovery process following a surgical procedure. However, pre-hab can help put your mind at ease by significantly reducing your recovery time. Did you know that by partaking in preventative rehabilitation, you can reduce your odds of needing inpatient rehabilitation by 73 percent? The stronger you are before surgery, the easier it’ll be for you to meet your physical milestones after surgery. This can decrease your recovery time by days or even weeks!
Pre-hab provides patients with the and pain relieving techniques, stretches, and strengthening exercises needed in order to obtain a smooth and speedy recovery. To put this in perspective, patients who undergo total knee replacement surgery are typically expected to walk 500-1,000 feet 24 hours after their procedure. This may sound like a difficult task; however, those who participate in pre-hab before their surgery are much more likely to meet this demand than those who do not.
Pre-hab and injury prevention:
If you are prone to injuries, or at risk of developing injuries, pre-hab can be a great resource for you. To figure out where your problem areas are, you will complete a thorough evaluation with your physical therapist to determine what your treatment plan will consist of. Treatment plans typically include a combination of pain relieving techniques, exercises, and stretches, in order to target problem areas where injuries are likely to occur. For example, those in the military are more prone to developing back, hip, knee, and foot problems due to the rigors of training and combat. Pre-hab can mitigate many of these injuries by teaching effective core strengthening exercises, correct lifting techniques, and proper posture, in order to keep service members strong and healthy. The same can be said for firefighters, factory workers, and other employees in highly physical occupations.
Both pro and amateur athletes can also benefit from pre-hab treatments. Their treatment will focus on conditioning exercises in order to correct improper techniques. Physical therapy treatments typically aim at pain relief and mobility improvement through balance and strength training. A strong focus will be placed on the areas of the body that are repeatedly overused and stressed by their sport, in order to determine their likelihood of injury. Their treatment plans will focus on reversing that likelihood, so they can safely continue in their sport without fear of injury.
Pre-hab can help you improve your physical abilities in your job or sport, while simultaneously reducing your risk of injury.
Contact us today:
If you’d like to benefit from our preventative rehabilitation services, contact our office today. We would be happy to discuss how physical therapy could enhance your physical function and reduce your risk of injury. Gain the many benefits of pre-hab by scheduling and consultation and getting started on your path toward relief, recovery, and injury prevention!
Sources:
http://www.apta.org/PTinMotion/2016/2/Prehabilitation/
http://www.apta.org/PTinMotion/News/2014/10/2/PreOperativePT/
