Successful surgery is a combination of appropriate and skillful surgical techniques or procedures, proper nursing care and finally a comprehensive rehabilitation program.
Click on links below to learn more about physiotherapy before and after operations.
- Pre-operation Physiotherapy
- Post-surgery Physiotherapy
- Physiotherapy after knee replacement
- Physiotherapy after hip replacement
To ensure a successful outcome after your surgery, your physiotherapy usually begins in the hospital typically by showing you how to manage swelling and pain, start walking, minimize complications such as chest infection and DVT (blood clots). This usually involves teaching you simple exercises. After being discharged from the hospital, you need to find a physiotherapist in Toronto who is trained and can assist you to reach your goals and get back on track.
Pre-operation Rehabilitation
Patients who are scheduled for hip replacement or knee replacement may have to wait weeks if not months for their operation. While waiting for your scheduled surgery, an assessment and possibly a pre-operation rehabilitation program is in order.
Our physiotherapists in Toronto will assess you to determine a baseline of knowledge and information about your general state of health and abilities, your muscle strength, your ability to walk and much more. This information will help us to assist you in pain management, teach you techniques for pacing yourself after the surgery, teach you how to use an assistive device such as cane or crutch and learn how to manage post-surgery swelling and how to identify and prevent possible complications. We will also assess your possible need for safety equipment at home. Your Thornhill physiotherapist will design an exercise program to strengthen your weak muscles, improve your balance and teach you how to use mobility aids such as a cane, crutch or walker.
Pre-operative treatment is aimed to help you achieve faster and better recovery after your operation. After your operation, the goal of your physiotherapy treatment plans differ from your pre-Operative program and it is aimed to assist you to function at your maximal ability and hopefully lead a pain-free or less painful and more active lifestyle and enjoy your friends and family.
Our Registered Physiotherapists in Toronto will work closely with your surgeon and GP to coordinate your treatment program. Contact us, we are here to help.
Common surgeries which require prehabilitation:
- Hip replacement
- Knee replacement
- Shoulder reconstruction
- ACL reconstruction
- Disc herniation
- Spinal realignment
Post-surgery Rehabilitation
Our physiotherapists in Toronto will start your program by an assessment of your current physical abilities and will determine what type of treatment plan will benefit you best. Postoperative physiotherapy typically involves the use of some modalities such as a laser for tissue healing or TENS for pain management but the main focus of the program will be on conditioning exercises, strengthening exercises and functional rehabilitation. Consult a physiotherapist in Thornhill who is experienced in post-operative rehabilitation to speed up your recovery and get back to your daily life as soon as possible.
At Physiomobility we will assist you in your post-operative care. We are familiar with most protocols followed by surgeons for common constructive operations such as ACL reconstruction or Rotator cuff repair. However, your surgeon may favor a rehab protocol over others. We will liaise with your surgeon to ensure specific requirements for your rehabilitation are met. The following surgeries commonly require post-operative care:
- Fractures
- Shoulder Reconstruction
- Shoulder Stabilization
- Rotator Cuff Repair
- Acromioplasty
- Shoulder joint manipulation (forceful mobilization of a restricted joint under anesthesia)
- Shoulder Capsulotomy
- Tennis Elbow Release
- Golfers Elbow Release
- Carpal Tunnel Release
- Tendon Repairs
- Hip & knee Replacements/Resurfacing
- Hip, knee and shoulder Arthroscope
- ACL ligament reconstruction
- Meniscal repairs
- Chondroplasty
- Patella tendon release
- Achilles Tendon Repairs
- Ankle Reconstruction
- Ankle ligament Repairs
- Heel spur removal
- Bunion removal
- Discectomy
- Laminectomy
- Spinal Fusion/Stabilization
Physiotherapy after knee replacement
Knee replacement, also known as knee arthroplasty is a surgery done on the knee to replace the knee joint surfaces that bear weight. This is a procedure done to cure serious knee pain or disability. Knee replacement is commonly done on patients suffering from osteoarthritis and is also done on patients suffering from diseases such as psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Patients can be subjected to either total or partial knee replacement surgery depending on their conditions. The damaged or diseased part of the knee is replaced with plastic and metal components shaped in a way that allows motion of the knee.
Knee arthritis is one of the main reasons other than accidents that cause your knee joints to deteriorate and become weak enough not to be able to bear your weight. Under these circumstances, knee replacement is the only option. The most obvious sign of knee arthritis is the pain in the knee.
A physiotherapist will assist you before and after your knee replacement surgery by recommending some exercise to reduce inflammation, strengthen muscles, joints and lower limbs helping you recover fast.
OHIP funded Rehabilitation after Total Knee Replacement Operation
Treatment for Knee Replacement
Once done with the surgical procedure, the following needs to be done
- Postoperative physiotherapy including the range of motion, strengthening, gait retraining
- Pain killers
- Rest
Physiotherapy after hip replacement
Hip replacement is a treatment that constitutes replacing the damaged hip joint with a prosthetic hip joint. Hip replacement is done when all other methods of treating hip pain, dislocated hip joint and weakened hip joint have failed. While small damage to the hip joint can be naturally repaired, in case of severe damage to the articular cartilage, the only option is replacing the hip joint.
There are certain conditions that can lead to hip replacement
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Hip Osteoarthritis
- Post Traumatic Arthritis
- Childhood Hip Disease
- Avascular Necrosis
Common Conditions when Hip Replacement is Recommended
- An indication of significant injury in the MRI or X-ray scan
- Hip pain affecting your daily activities such as walking, sitting and standing
- Continuous hip pain even when you are resting
- Hip stiffness limiting movement of the legs
- Insufficient pain relief even after physiotherapy, drugs and walking support
Physiotherapists can help patients post hip replacement surgery by aiding them in the rehabilitation process. Exercises may start just a few hours after your surgery and the physiotherapist will make you do some early bed exercises which can aid in your speedy recovery.
Physiotherapy Treatment Post Hip Replacement
At Physiomobility, we have a team of qualified professionals who offer specialized treatment for various musculoskeletal conditions. Whether you have a chronic medical condition, such as arthritis, or you have experienced a sports injury, or suffer from dizziness and vertigo our experienced physiotherapists will provide you a personalized treatment, offering you relief from pain and discomfort and enabling you to get back to your usual activities
OHIP funded Rehabilitation after Total Hip Replacement Operation
