When a person suffers enough trauma to break a joint bone, he or she usually has to undergo surgery to have the joint replaced. Most people have joint replacement surgeries on their shoulders, hips, and knees. Moving around after such a surgical procedure can be hard. Therefore, patients usually undergo some physical therapy after their surgeries. Physical therapy, in this case, is a part of the post-surgical joint replacement rehabilitation process.
Why should you go for Joint Replacement Rehabilitation?
After you undergo surgery, your body needs time to heal so that it can start working like it is supposed to. A person who has had one of his or her joints replaced through surgery will, for example, have trouble carrying out their routine activities. Such an individual cannot walk without help and in some cases cannot even sit up without aid. Going for rehabilitation enables these people to regain control of their motion and their lives.
Joint replacement rehabilitation has many benefits. The first is that most people who go through the rehabilitation process end up able to do what they could do before the surgeries. That includes walking and taking part in their physical pre-surgery activities.
The physical therapists in Houston, TX also help individuals deal with the pain that comes from moving after the surgeries.
What to expect after signing up for Joint Replacement Rehab at Absolute Physical Therapy
Physical therapy at Absolute Physical Therapy begins the day after you have your surgery. That might seem a bit extreme considering that you will be in a lot of pain at the time. However, physical therapists at Absolute Physical Therapy recommend that time frame because faster rehabilitation makes for more successful treatment.
The post-surgery rehab for people who have had their joints replaced takes place over several weeks. Each week your physical therapist in Houston, TX will design an activity plan for you to follow with the help of your orthopedic surgeon. With their effective treatment, you should be back on your feet after a maximum of about twelve weeks.
Over the first few days of your treatment, the efficient physical therapists at Absolute Physical Therapy will help you find ways to do mundane chores without stressing your joint. They will help you relearn how to sit, stand and move around with walking aids. This procedure is painful, but they will be with you through every step of the way.
Up to the four-week mark, your physical therapist’s aim will be to get you mobile. After that, he or she will guide you through exercises to strengthen the weakened joint and to help you gradually learn to walk unassisted. Over time you will regain mobility and build a tolerance for the pain. Your physical therapist may also use ice and heat therapies to help you cope with the pain. The last six weeks of rehabilitation will involve you learning to do physical tasks you did pre-surgery. By this time you should see no swelling in the region that was operated on. You will be strong enough to walk on your own with little or no pain after twelve weeks.
After scheduling a joint replacement surgery, you should also book an appointment for physical therapy at Absolute Physical Therapy to make sure you’re as good as new when your rehabilitation is over.