How to prepare for surgery with physical therapy

Physicians usually recommend surgery as a treatment only if they believe conservative treatments will not work. Surgery is invasive and risky and causes a lot of pain afterward when you’re recovering. However, sometimes it is the right choice for helping you with your pain or injuries.

When you need to have surgery, it’s important to be as prepared as possible. One way to prepare is visiting a physical therapist for pre-surgical rehabilitation. This is a service offered by physical therapists, like those at Excel, to help manage your pain while you wait for your surgery and to help you prepare your body for the recovery process afterward. 

Pre-surgical rehab with a physical therapist can help you in many ways, primarily through exercise, manual therapy and mental preparation. 

Preparing for surgery with exercise

Gentle exercises can improve the strength and flexibility of your muscles and tendons. Stronger and more flexible muscles can provide better support for the bones and joints, which can help manage your pain while you wait for your surgery. Muscles in better shape are also able to heal more quickly from the incisions involved in surgery. 

Preparing for surgery with manual therapy

Manual therapy includes hands-on techniques that mobilize the joints and soft tissue to help reduce pain and improve your range of motion. These mobilization techniques can help reduce tension and trigger points that may be contributing to your pain or making your recovery more challenging.

Preparing for surgery with your mind

It’s as important to prepare for surgery mentally as it is physically. You’ll need to understand the challenges you’re going to face while recovering, so you can adjust your life around them. Your physical therapist can help you identify your challenges and come up with strategies to navigate them, so you can live as comfortably and independently as possible while recovering.

Visit Excel Sports & Physical Therapy for pre-surgical rehabilitation

Are you expecting to have surgery soon? Whether you’re having surgery in a couple of weeks or a couple of days, you can benefit from pre-surgical rehab now to help you prepare for it. Contact our team today for more information about pre-surgical rehabilitation or to schedule an initial appointment.