“Prehab” refers to therapy given prior to, or in anticipation of, a pending surgery. Generally speaking, the goal of prehab is to maximize your chances of success following a surgery and to prepare you for post-op care.
Depending on what your functional capabilities are prior to your surgery, and how much time you are able to commit to prehab, your care could be very similar to someone who is not planning on having a surgery. It’s important to try to identify any movement dysfunction or muscle patterns that may have played a role in the development of your condition. If we can identify these issues and begin the process of teaching your body how to move in an efficient manner, then it will be easier for you to continue that process following surgery.
It’s extremely common for people to have faulty movement patterns that create strain on their bodies over time and unless addressed these issues will be there before and after surgery. Another important component of prehab is education. You may have specific questions about the nature of your surgery or what to expect after your surgery. We will answer your questions to the best of our abilities so that you can be confidently prepared.
This education may cover: how to use an assistive device, how to negotiate stairs, how to perform transfers, what sort of assistance you might need from friends/family, expected recovery time, early post-op exercises consistent with your doctor’s protocol. The last thing you want to have going into your surgery is uncertainty or anxiety about what to expect and prehab provides a great time to go through any of those questions or scenarios.
If you have never been a patient at SIMIO then we will want to address the same things we would for anybody. You may have had a long history of pain and injury with multiple episodes of care at other clinics or with other health care providers. If that is the case then you may never have been introduced to the type of care we provide. If there are movement patterns that are causing unnecessary strain on your body then you will want to know this and we will try to get you as far along as we can so that you can go into surgery with appropriate muscle facilitation, tone, and patterned activity. This way your body will be better able to receive the surgery and make the necessary compensations that are required after surgery.
For example it will be important to have balanced muscle strength in the core, hips and pelvis following a hip surgery, not just for the recovery of the involved hip, but also to strengthen your other leg which will likely be carrying loads greater than it had to before surgery. Addressing core and upper extremity strength will also be essential in the case because you will be using your arms more to get in and out of chairs or to use an assistive device. Each case will be unique depending on your circumstance, your injury, how much time you will have before surgery, but we want to treat you with the same intention and vigor as we would anyone else regardless of whether you will be coming back to see us after PT or not.
Your time for prehab could be anywhere from 1 visit to 6-8 weeks. The more time you have to prepare prior to surgery the more progress we will be able to make. Surgery doesn’t have to be a scary thing so let us help you prepare for yours so you can remain calm and relaxed, with the expectation that you will make an excellent recovery!
Let’s discuss your goals during a free consultation
Correcting poor alignment, postural awareness, or improving your ability to move starts with discovering what is limiting your body’s ability. We’ll examine your whole body for imbalanced relationships that lead to undesired tension, restriction or altered movement. Then we’ll create a roadmap to help you overcome your limits and build an awareness that leads to lasting results.
Arrange a meeting with a licensed physical therapist in Zeeland, MI today.