Heal safer, faster & healthier

The road to recovery doesn’t have to wait until after surgery. Physical and/or Occupational therapy before and after your surgery can be a crucial part of returning back to your normal activity at work & play. 

Did You Know…

Within 48 hours of hospitalization, older adults develop weakness in their legs and dizziness which affect their ability to walk.  Thirty percent of older adults who lose their ability to walk independently become permanently disabled because they do not regain their ability to walk after discharge. Up to 65% of older adults who are independent in their ability to walk will lose their ability to walk during a hospital stay. *

In other words, debilitation and loss of walking independence happen quickly!

What is Pre-Habilitation?

Pre-habilitation, or pre-hab, is defined as physical therapy, occupational therapy and/or lifestyle preparation designed to improve recovery time following a procedure or surgery.  Just like training for a marathon, pre-habilitation is preparing your body for what is planned ahead.

Getting a jump start prior to surgery can greatly improve functional outcomes and the overall healing process post surgery.

Pre-Habilitation Equals Success!

A study, published in the October 2006 volume of Arthritis Care & Research, at New England Baptist Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School found that knee and hip replacement surgery patients who had participated in therapeutic strength, aerobic, and flexibility training for just six weeks prior to their surgeries reduced their odds of needing inpatient rehabilitation by 73 percent. *  A study published in the October 2014 edition of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery determined that physical therapy before joint replacement surgery, a pre-habilitation program, can reduce the need for post-operative care by nearly 30 percent.

Other studies have shown that people who participate in pre-hab regain full function and get back to their daily activities and sports faster and more easily than people who don’t do pre-hab. In addition, they tend to have less post-operative pain and fewer complications. According to Arthritis Today, pre-surgery exercises for a knee procedure can speed recovery time and reduce the need for post-surgery inpatient rehab by up to 73 percent.

By increasing physical activity prior to your scheduled procedure, the body can become pre-conditioned to endure the stress of inactivity during the initial recovery process. This, in turn, can also help to potentially reduce the hospital stay.

Orthopaedic patients can particularly benefit from pre-habilitation, as it is a very effective way to strengthen the ligaments, muscles and soft tissues surrounding common sites of orthopaedic procedures.

The goals of Rehability’s pre-habilitation program:

• Mentally prepare for surgery
• Reduce pain and inflammation
• Restore range of motion
• Improving muscular control of the injured joint
• Normalizing movement patterns prior to your surgery
• Improved overall well-being and fitness
• Gain a good understanding of the exercises that you will perform immediately after surgery
• Better function and mobility before your surgery
• A decreased need for inpatient rehab after surgery
• Shorter recovery times
• A jump start on the therapeutic activities required after surgery
• Education related to pre/post procedure activities
• Home recommendations/assessment for a safer environment

 Post-operative treatments may include:

• Strategies for pain reduction including modalities such as ice, heat, and electrical stimulation
• Flexibility exercises to improve range of motion
• Exercises to strengthen muscles
• Posture, balance, and coordination training
• Gait analysis and training
• Manual therapy techniques
• Self-care training
• Home exercise instruction
• Education, Education, Education!

Pre/Post-Surgery rehabilitation program procedures may include:

• Total & partial joint replacements
• Knee surgeries (ACL, PCL, MCL and LCL reconstruction)
• Ligament or tendon reconstructions (common examples include rotator cuff repair and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction)
• Spinal and cervical surgeries (Discectomy, Foraminotomy, Laminectomy, Spinal Fusion, Vertebroplasty)
• Hip surgeries (hip fractures or replacements)
• Meniscectomy
• Tendon Transfers
• Labral and Rotator Cuff Tears
• Shoulder arthroscopy, Shoulder replacement
• Bankart repair
• Foot and Ankle surgeries (Achilles tendon repair, ankle arthroscopy, ankle replacement, ankle fusion)
• Wrist and Elbow Surgery (wrist arthroscopy, elbow arthroscopy, elbow replacement, carpal tunnel syndrome surgery)
• Cancer Pre-habilitation (including preparing for chemotherapy/radiation treatments)

Interested? Here is what to do next

If you have an upcoming surgery planned, ideally pre-habilitation should begin at least 6 weeks prior to surgery to gain the most benefit.  Talk to your physician about your interest in pre-habilitation and request a prescription be faxed to Rehability. It’s important to note that prescribed pre-habilitation plans can vary greatly from patient to patient. However, they are always designed to fit the exact needs of whatever procedure will be performed. The goal is to help you become healthier and stronger before your procedure. Subsequently, making the post-op transition easier and less stressful.

Contact Rehability for a skilled pre-habilitation evaluation today at 352-701-0494

* Sources:
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060929093409.htm
http://www.aannet.org/initiatives/choosing-wisely/immobility-ambulation