More and more patients are now going to physical therapy in the weeks leading up to an operation, and this doesn’t just apply to people who are getting orthopedic surgery. This type of care – preparatory PT before a scheduled procedure – is called prehabilitation, a play on the idea of post-surgical rehabilitation. And there are good reasons it is becoming more prevalent, because studies have shown that an early physical therapy regimen makes healing faster and outcomes better in multiple ways.
At JAG Physical Therapy, we’re New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York’s top name in prehab. One of our top specialties is pre-surgery PT, and our compassionate and skilled team will make sure you receive a custom program suited to the particular operation you’re getting and your other health needs. Turn to us to improve recovery with prehabilitation – book your appointment now to get started, find your nearest JAG PT location, or see below to find out more on the ways pre-operative therapy makes both surgery and recovery easier.
What Is Prehabilitation, and Why Is It Important?
Simply put, prehabilitation, usually shortened to prehab, is the use of rehabilitation-like methods before rather than after a surgical procedure. With this in mind, many of the same physical therapy modalities may be used both in prehab and (post-operative) rehab, such as massage or aquatic therapy. However, prehabilitation has different but related goals to rehab, and therefore the way a prehab program is structured may be different.
The aim of prehabilitation is to increase the health of specific regions of the body before an operation, whether by strengthening those areas, making them more flexible, or improving their condition in other ways. For example, if you are scheduled for hand surgery, a prehab program may focus on flexibility in the tendons of your hand through stretching and grip exercise, as well as practicing with any assistive devices you may need to do daily tasks such as typing at a computer or using a fork.
In this instance, because the structure of the hand is so complex, stretching and mobilization of all areas of the hand is ideal. When all the parts that might be involved in the operation are strong and can tolerate stresses, the surgery is likely to be more successful with fewer complications.
How Can Prehabilitation Improve Recovery After Surgery?
If you utilize prehabilitation, you’ll probably find that your post-surgical recovery is a better experience in a number of ways. For one, you may enjoy greater mobility after having your operation, with better stamina and less pain with movement. This can lead to more independence in your day-to-day early in recovery. Patients who undergo prehab also report reduced pain and lesser time needed overall to fully recover.
Continuing to use surgery on the hand as an example, prehab is highly effective in getting specific joints and connective tissue ready for a procedure. Helping to correct a weakness, such as in a finger joint, through non-surgical means can mean that the operation will involve less work on that specific finger, which would lead to less need for healing. Higher flexibility and better development means that the surgical team will have an easier time manipulating the hand to solve the health problem. Furthermore, having a head start and knowing what to expect in rehabilitation is likely to make getting back to normal simpler and potentially faster.
What Are the Key Components of an Effective Prehabilitation Program?
The types of PT that your prehab program will include will naturally differ depending on the kind of surgery you’re getting. However, there are a few common elements that are used most of the time. Most of these involve instruction in various types of pre-op exercises for faster healing and better surgical results.
One of the things a physical therapist will spend the most time on during prehabilitation is strength training for the muscles that surround and support the body region being operated on. You can also expect flexibility and endurance exercises for these same muscles.
Most patients in a prehab program, even those not scheduled for heart or lung surgery, will be directed to do cardiovascular conditioning, and the physical therapist will keep note of heart rate and respiratory rate. Even minor surgery is taxing on all the systems of the body, and patients being operated on should always have breathing and blood flow that are as healthy as possible. Furthermore, the vascular and respiratory systems are an essential part of recovery, as they deliver oxygen and nutrients to the area that the body is rebuilding after the surgery.
Finally, mental preparedness is just as important as physical readiness for surgery. Knowing what to expect from your procedure and post-op rehabilitation will reduce anxiety and fear of the unknown. A body that has been relaxed can more easily be repaired than one that has been tensed, and lower stress is better for the cardiovascular system, which is a critical consideration, as mentioned. The physical therapist administering your prehab will answer your questions, reassure you, and may guide you to use mindfulness or other psychologically healthy practices.
Who Should Consider Prehabilitation Before Surgery?
Many different types of people who are facing varied kinds of surgery could greatly benefit from prehab. Of course, patients who need an orthopedic procedure – an operation on their musculoskeletal system – most obviously can use prehab to make sure the joints, bones, or muscles being operated on are set to get strong and healthy again. However, those getting cardiac surgery can get mobile and back home more quickly and safely using prehab, and people receiving surgery as part of cancer treatment may have less pain and better outcomes.
Athletes and fitness enthusiasts can be well-served by prehabilitation before they have an operation, because getting back on their feet faster is important to their lifestyle. Moreover, modified exercise training in prehab can help patients like these better maintain their physical fitness after surgery. If you are getting surgery on a limb, hand, foot, or major joint, or if you will have to make significant changes to your day-to-day life while you recover, it’s highly recommended that you get prehabilitation in the weeks before the date of your operation.
Start Your Prehabilitation Journey with JAG Physical Therapy
If you need surgery, the entire point of the procedure is for you to have better day-to-day health and to allow you to partake in your daily routine again. Therefore, you shouldn’t wait until after the operation is done to focus on recovery; the recovery period is what you need for the surgery to be a success.
JAG Physical Therapy is always prepared to guide you through a prehab program that will help you be in optimal condition for your surgery and rehabilitate faster and more effectively afterward. We always take a personalized, empathetic approach, listening to your concerns and creating a program of pre-op PT that is best for you. Schedule your prehabilitation appointment today so you can get ready for your post-procedure comeback.