Post-Operative Rehabilitation

Physiotherapy after Orthopaedic Surgery

Orthopaedic surgery involves an operation by a specialist doctor to repair bones, ligaments and/or muscles. These types of surgery can be elective (when you plan in advance to have the surgery done) or emergency, as a result of trauma or unexpected injuries. When any kind of orthopaedic surgery is done, there will be some loss of strength and joint movement in the area and a physiotherapist is expertly placed to assist with rehabilitation.

Examples of elective surgery include ACL reconstruction or other ligament reconstruction surgery, knee and hip replacements, shoulder stabilisation after shoulder dislocation, and rotator cuff repairs. In the case of elective surgery where you have a planned date for the operation, there is strong research to support “pre-habilitation”, which is pre-operative exercise to improve your post-operative outcome. This involves a program of exercises that are specific to the planned operation, such as joint range of motion exercises, strength and mobility training, balance exercises and general fitness. The pre-habilitation program prepares the affected joint and the rest of the body for surgery and makes the post-operative rehabilitation significantly quicker and easier.

Emergency trauma surgery is usually required when you have a particularly bad broken bone that is at risk of not healing properly. The surgeon may put in screws and plates to keep the broken bones together and then you’ll generally be in a cast, boot or brace for 6 weeks or more to help the bone set. When you come out of this immobilisation, the affected body part will have significant strength and range of motion deficits that affect its function. Physiotherapy rehabilitation involves graded programs of specific exercises that help to safely and effectively restore full movement, strength and function to the operated area.

Exercise Physiology after Abdominal or Cardiac Surgery

Aside from orthopaedic surgery, there are many other operations that also benefit from post-operative rehabilitation. Major abdominal operations, together with the associated time spent in bed, are commonly associated with significant losses of strength and fitness that can affect a person’s quality of life for a long time. After discharge from hospital, patients are rarely given any specific instructions on how to regain their lost fitness. Our exercise physiologists can help to guide you through a safe and effective rehabilitation program that can restore your full exercise capacity and return you to the activities you enjoy most.

Cardiac surgery is another category of operation where post-operative exercise is vital. After cardiac surgery (such as bypass, valve replacement, angioplasty and stent procedures), patients will often attend “cardiac rehab”, which is supervised exercise at a hospital or rehab facility for 6-12 weeks. After this, patients are often discharged and asked to continue the exercises on their own. At Glebe Physio, we have exercise physiologists who are trained in rehabilitation after cardiac procedures and can assist you with long-term exercise programs to help you regain your strength and fitness and establish a safe, enjoyable exercise program for life.