Pre and Post Operation PT

Accelerate your recovery process

Pre and post-operation physical therapy can play a crucial role in the recovery process, providing benefits for patients of all ages. Physical therapy aims to improve your health and fitness, which can be even more important before or after surgery. A healthy body heals faster. Physical therapy before or after surgery (or both) can give your body the extra strength and assistance it needs to recover faster. 

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Learn more about Pre and Post Operation

Undergoing surgery can be a significant event in your life, whether it’s a joint replacement, orthopedic procedure, or surgery to address a medical condition. While the surgical procedure itself is crucial, the recovery process plays a vital role in restoring function, mobility, and overall well-being. Physical therapy is a key component of post-surgical rehabilitation, helping you recover faster, reduce pain, and regain independence. At Dr. Megan Mullin Physical Therapy, we specialize in providing comprehensive and personalized care to support your recovery journey.

How Physical Therapy Helps in Surgical Recovery:

  1. Pain Management: Surgery often leads to pain and discomfort as your body heals. Physical therapists use a variety of techniques, such as manual therapy, therapeutic exercises, and modalities like heat or cold therapy, to manage pain and reduce inflammation, allowing you to move more comfortably and participate fully in your rehabilitation.
  2. Restoring Mobility and Function: Surgery can temporarily limit your range of motion and mobility, especially if it involves a joint or muscle group. Physical therapy focuses on restoring normal movement patterns, improving flexibility, and enhancing strength to help you regain function and mobility in the affected area.
  3. Preventing Complications: Prolonged immobility after surgery can increase the risk of complications such as blood clots, muscle atrophy, and joint stiffness. Physical therapists design exercise programs and mobility drills tailored to your specific needs, promoting circulation, muscle activation, and joint flexibility to minimize the risk of post-surgical complications.
  4. Promoting Healing and Tissue Repair: Physical therapy interventions, such as therapeutic exercises and manual techniques, promote healing and tissue repair by increasing blood flow to the surgical site, stimulating the production of collagen, and enhancing tissue flexibility. This accelerates the healing process and optimizes outcomes following surgery.
  5. Improving Strength and Endurance: Surgery and the associated period of immobility can lead to muscle weakness and loss of endurance. Physical therapists prescribe progressive strengthening exercises and conditioning activities to rebuild muscle strength, improve endurance, and enhance overall physical fitness, enabling you to return to your daily activities and hobbies with confidence.
  6. Optimizing Surgical Outcomes: The goal of post-surgical physical therapy is not only to help you recover from surgery but also to optimize long-term outcomes. By addressing underlying biomechanical issues, correcting movement patterns, and providing education on injury prevention and self-management strategies, physical therapists help you achieve lasting improvements in function, mobility, and quality of life.

The goal of pre-surgery physical therapy, sometimes called prehab, is to prepare your body for the procedure. Improving your overall wellness will help you go into the surgery in better condition. Strengthening specific muscles around an injury or joint before surgery on that area can make your body better prepared to heal and resume proper function after the procedure. 

Benefits of Pre-Op Physical Therapy

Preoperative physical therapy (PT) has several benefits that can help improve surgical outcomes and reduce postoperative complications. Here are some of the potential benefits:

  • Improved range of motion: Physical therapy can help improve the range of motion in the affected joint or limb. This can make it easier for the patient to move after surgery, which can speed up the recovery process.
  • Increased strength: PT can also help increase strength in the affected area. This can make it easier for the patient to perform postoperative exercises and activities, which can help improve overall function and reduce the risk of complications.
  • Pain management: Therapy can involve various modalities such as heat or ice therapy, massage, or exercises to alleviate pain.
  • Better overall health: Preoperative physical therapy can help improve the patient’s overall health before surgery, which can help reduce the risk of postoperative complications.
  • Shorter hospital stay: PT can help speed up recovery, which may lead to a shorter hospital stay.
  • Better postoperative outcomes: Patients who undergo physical therapy may have better postoperative outcomes, including less pain, faster recovery, and improved long-term function.

It is important to note that benefits may vary depending on the patient’s condition and the surgery they are undergoing. It is always best to discuss the potential benefits with your healthcare provider beforehand.

After surgery, especially if a joint or muscle has been significantly impacted, your body may need help repairing the area. Discomfort can make it hard to move around after a procedure, but lack of movement may lead to muscle atrophy and weakness that worsens the situation. Post-op PT or rehabilitation aims to help you safely resume activity after surgery, keeping your muscles strong and helping your body heal.

Benefits of Post-Op Physical Therapy

Postoperative physical therapy (PT) is an important part of the recovery process after surgery. It helps patients regain strength, mobility, and function following a surgical procedure. Benefits include:

  • Faster recovery: Physical therapy can help speed up the recovery process by promoting healing, reducing pain, and increasing mobility.
  • Reduced risk of complications: PT can help reduce the risk of complications, such as infections, blood clots, and other complications that can occur after surgery.
  • Increased strength and mobility: With therapy, patients can regain strength and mobility in the affected area. Improving overall function can help patients return to their daily activities more quickly.
  • Pain management: Postoperative physical therapy can help manage pain after surgery. This can involve various modalities such as heat or ice therapy, massage, or exercises to alleviate pain.
  • Improved balance and coordination: This benefit can be especially important for patients who have undergone surgeries that affect the musculoskeletal system or the central nervous system.
  • Personalized care: Our therapists tailor to each patient’s needs and goals. Every patient receives personalized care and attention to help them achieve the best possible outcomes.

Overall, postoperative physical therapy can help patients recover from surgery more quickly and with fewer complications. It can also help patients regain their independence and quality of life following a surgical procedure.

Dr. Megan Mullin is a consummate professional and a gifted physical therapist. The wide array of healing modalities that she uses is inspiring and impactful. I cannot recommend Megan highly enough.

-Gail Straub, Empowerment Institute

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Dr. Mullin is extremely caring and kind. She listens fully and is attentive to your needs. Megan is truly gifted, intuitive & has helped me so much. She is delightful to work with and I actually look forward to my physical therapy appointments!

-Joan C., Patient

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joan c physical therapy patient testimonial
david g physical therapy patient testimonial

Megan is a body wizard. She is also a student of the most cutting-edge
body healing modalities. You could not be in better hands
working with Megan.

-David Gershon, Entrepreneur

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orthopedic physical therapy san luis obispo ca & woodstock ny

Take the Next Step

Recovering from surgery is a journey, and having the right support and guidance can make all the difference. At Dr. Megan Mullin Physical Therapy, our team of skilled physical therapists is here to help you navigate your recovery with compassion, expertise, and personalized care. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and take the first step towards a smoother, faster, and stronger recovery after surgery.

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