When someone has surgery, their body needs time to heal and get back to normal. Post-operative therapy helps people recover faster after surgery. This type of therapy includes post-op physical therapy and occupational therapy.
In this blog, we will explain what post-operative therapy is, why it’s important, and how it can help you.
What is Post-Operative Therapy?
Post-operative therapy is a type of care that helps you recover after surgery. This therapy is designed to help your body heal properly and get you back to your normal activities as soon as possible. It is tailored to meet your specific needs based on the type of surgery you had.
Two main kinds of post-operative therapy are physical therapy and occupational therapy.
Post-Op Physical Therapy
Physical therapy helps your body move better after surgery. A physical therapist will help you with exercises and stretches to make you stronger, more flexible, and better at keeping your balance.
This type of therapy helps reduce pain and swelling, making it easier for you to move around and do everyday activities.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy helps you get back to doing daily tasks and activities you enjoyed before surgery. An occupational therapist will teach you how to do things like dressing, bathing, cooking, and other activities in new ways if needed.
They might also suggest tools or devices to make these tasks easier.
Why is Post-Operative Therapy Important?
Post-operative therapy is very important for several reasons:
Reduce Pain and Discomfort
One good thing about therapy after surgery is that it helps make your pain go away. Sometimes after surgery, you might feel pain because of swelling and damage to your tissues. Therapists use different ways, like stretching and massage, to help relieve the pain and help you get better.
If you manage the pain early on, it will be easier for you to do therapy and stay involved in the healing process. This way, you won’t need as much medicine for the pain which can sometimes have side effects.
Improve Movement and Flexibility
When you have surgery, it can make your body feel tight and hard to move. After surgery, a therapist will work with you to do special exercises that help your body move better. These exercises also stop scar formation which can make it harder to move.
For example, if you had knee surgery, the therapist might help you bend and straighten your knee gently. As you keep doing these exercises, your joints will become more flexible, and it will be easier for you to move like usual.
Strengthen Muscles and Joints
After surgery, your muscles and joints can get weaker because you haven’t been using them. To help you get stronger and be able to do daily activities without getting hurt again, therapists make you do special exercises. They might use things like exercise bands, weights, or just your own body weight to help you build up strength in certain muscles and joints.
For example, if you had shoulder surgery, they might have you do exercises like lifting weights overhead and pulling on the resistance band to make the muscles around your shoulder stronger so it can work better.
Improve Blood Flow and Healing
Good blood flow is really important for healing after surgery. After surgery, doing certain activities can help get blood to the places that need to heal. This brings important nutrients and oxygen to your tissues. Better blood flow also lowers the chance of blood clots and swelling.
Physical therapists might use methods like gentle massage, lifting the affected area, and using compression to improve blood flow. Simple movements and exercises also help, speeding up the body’s natural healing.
Prevent Complications
When you have surgery, sometimes there can be complications that make it take longer to get better and can even cause bigger health problems. Going to post-operative therapy helps stop these complications from happening by finding them early and fixing them.
For example, therapists help you move around and keep your blood flowing so you don’t get blood clots. They also check for signs of infection or slow healing so they can help right away.
Adapt Daily Activities
Post-operative therapy like occupational therapy teaches you new ways to do daily tasks. If you have trouble with activities like getting dressed or cooking, an occupational therapist will show you helpful techniques or tools to make those tasks easier.
Boost Overall Recovery
Post-operative therapy helps you get better faster and feel better overall. It helps with pain, moving around, and your mental health. This makes sure you heal well and stay healthy in the long run.
Post-Operative Therapy in Fleming Island, FL
At H2 Health, we have many types of therapy, including physical therapy and occupational therapy, to help you get better after surgery. Our team of certified therapists will make a plan just for you, so you can get better in the best way possible.
For more information about post-operative therapy, call us today at one of our locations near you or request an appointment using our form. We look forward to serving you!
