Have you just undergone an orthopedic surgery? Here is a step by step guide on what to expect during and after your procedure.
Orthopedic surgery is a highly specialized area of medical practice that deals with a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions, including injuries, trauma, and deformity of the bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, tendons, and nerves.
Typically, orthopedic surgery is used as a last resort, after other treatment options, such as physiotherapy or medication, have failed to improve your condition. Some signs that you may require surgery.
These include:
- Persistent pain that isn’t relieved by medication
- Difficulty moving the limb or performing day-to-day activities
- Increasing damage or deformity to the area
- Damage or injury to other joints/muscles as a result of the original injury
- Inflammation or infection, often characterized by redness, tenderness, or swelling
Safe and Effective Orthopedic Surgery at our Kelowna Private Hospital
At our Kelowna Private Hospital, we focus on three types of orthopedic surgery. These include foot and ankle surgery, shoulder surgery, and knee surgery, to help restore function and mobility to your body, and greatly enhance your quality of life.
Want to know how we can help you?
4 Steps to Orthopedic Surgery Recovery: Why Physical Therapy Is Important
Physical therapy is a key component of rehabilitation from any orthopedic surgery, whether it’s a total joint procedure, or a less invasive arthroscopic procedure. Working with such a professional is vital to optimizing your recovery and restoring you to full and normal function.
How does it work?
Rehabilitation after your orthopedic surgery begins with a complete physical therapy evaluation.
Your physiotherapist will look at:
- Your range of motion
- Your strength
- The surgeon’s recovery protocol
- Any of your job-related duties that you’ll need to eventually perform
- Certain activities or sports that you want to get back into
Based on all of the information above, your physical therapist will craft a customized rehabilitation plan to get you back to normal functioning. Using their knowledge of healing, the PT will ensure you progress safely and quickly through the stages of rehabilitation, so you can meet all your goals.
4 Stages of Orthopedic Rehabilitation
To help you become more prepared for your rehab following surgery, here are the 4 steps to recovery that you can expect to go through:
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Restoring Motion. The typical protocol following your procedure begins with gentle/passive therapy. Your physiotherapist will assist you with a range of motion for the particular joint.
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Active range of motion. After your follow-up visit with your surgeon, or when he/she advises it’s okay, you’ll gradually progress through assisted and active range of motion exercises. Your PT will also be able to provide guidance and advise as you begin to resume some normal activity.
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Strengthening. Once your range of motion is restored in the joint, you’ll move onto the strengthening phase. This will involve a variety of exercises and many different pieces of equipment, designed to enhance and improve your strength.
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Restoring optimal movement. The final stage of recovery aims at putting all the pieces together to ensure that you’ll be able to move safely, efficiently, and effectively through all of the daily tasks you need to perform.
Do I Really Need a Physical Therapist?
Many surgeons refer patients to a physical therapist following orthopedic surgery, and for good reason.
Such a professional will help:
- Guide your progression
- Monitor your performance of the exercises
- Prevent further injury
- Minimize any post-surgical complications
While your surgeon may give you a list of exercises to do on your own, it’s always best to work with a physical therapist. Without them, you will be missing a key partner in your recovery process.
Call Today
To find out more about our wide range of orthopedic surgeries, and how our surgeons can help you safely and quickly restore function and mobility to your body, contact our Kelowna private hospital at 250-868-9799 or book a consultation.
