Physical Therapy Services
Post Operative Rehab
Strength, flexibility and agility training to get you back to full participation.
Post Operative Rehab
Here at Feel Good Physical Therapy, we do not chase pain. It is important to understand that oftentimes where the pain presents is not the area that needs to be treated. The pain may be due to that area compensating and being over-worked from another area not pulling its weight. Our rehabilitation program includes strength, flexibility and agility training as well as training focused on coordination of body parts and motion to prepare the individual to return to full participation.
This comprehensive and consistent approach works to retrain muscles, restore joint function, and prevent recurring injuries and doctor visits. Additionally, we will equip our patients with innovative techniques for maintaining proper posture, improving lifting mechanics or workouts, and determining “Do’s and Don’ts” related to certain jobs or daily activities. The effectiveness of this treatment protocol depends on the patient’s commitment to their therapeutic exercises and following the doctor’s recommendations. Improving the patient’s function, as opposed to simply managing the symptoms, can have a significant impact on injury reduction. Hands-on treatment makes people feel better, but appropriate rehabilitation is essential for long-term positive outcomes.
How This Works
What post operative rehab treatment involves
Post-operative rehabilitation is the structured return to normal use of a limb or joint after surgery. Early on the priorities are protecting what was repaired, managing swelling and regaining range of motion. From there the work shifts to rebuilding strength, then to coordination, balance and the specific demands of your job, sport or daily routine.
The progression is deliberately staged, because tissue heals on its own timetable and loading it ahead of that timetable is how setbacks happen. Your therapist works within whatever protocol or restrictions your surgeon has set, and moves you to the next stage against how the joint is actually responding rather than against the calendar alone.
What to Expect
Your visits, step by step
Establishing your starting point
Your therapist reviews what was done, any restrictions you have been given, and where the joint is now — range, swelling, strength and how you are moving around. Bring your operative report or discharge instructions if you have them.
Restoring motion, then load
Early sessions concentrate on range of motion, swelling and getting the surrounding muscles switched back on. Strength, flexibility and agility work is layered in as the joint tolerates it.
Retraining the whole pattern
Because a joint that has been protected for weeks changes how everything around it moves, treatment addresses coordination of body parts and motion — not only the operated area, but the compensations that developed around it.
Return to full participation
The later stages are built around what you specifically need to go back to, including lifting mechanics, workout technique and the do’s and don’ts of your particular job or activity.
Benefits
What post operative rehab treatment is used for
- Used to address post-surgical stiffness, loss of range of motion and swelling.
- Used to address the loss of strength and muscle control that follows a period of protecting a joint.
- Applied to retrain coordination and movement patterns before returning to full participation in work or sport.
- Provides a supervised, staged progression that works within the restrictions set by your surgeon.
Results of an injury vary from person to person. What is appropriate for you is decided at your evaluation — call (718) 714-6995 and we can talk it through.
Common Questions
Post Operative Rehab FAQs
When should I start after surgery?
That is set by your surgeon, and it varies enormously by procedure. Call us with the date and any instructions you were given and we will arrange your first visit to fit them.
Will it hurt?
Early rehabilitation after surgery does involve working into stiffness, and some discomfort during range of motion work is normal. It is guided and progressive, not forced — tell your therapist what you are feeling and the intensity is adjusted.
What should I bring to the first visit?
Your operative report or discharge paperwork if you have it, any written restrictions from your surgeon, your insurance card, and any brace, sling or boot you have been given. Call ahead and we will send your intake forms so you can complete them at home.
How long does post-operative rehabilitation take?
It depends on the procedure, the tissue involved and your own response, so no honest answer is a fixed number of weeks. Your therapist will explain the stages and what has to be true before you move to the next one.
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