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5 Key Benefits of Physical Therapy Following Joint Replacement Surgery
If you’re planning on replacing a joint like your knee or hip, you’re looking at a major procedure and recovery. Moving around is going to be difficult until you’re fully healed, and it’s important that you gently exercise the joint so it heals properly. Physical therapy (PT) can increase your range of motion while also relieving your pain and improving your mobility.
At The Spine and Sports Center in Sugarland and Houston, Texas, Dr. Benoy Benny can lay out a rehabilitation therapy plan designed to help you fully recover from your joint replacement surgery.
5 benefits of physical therapy
Physical therapy belongs to a type of medicine known as physiatry, which aims to restore functionality and improve quality of life. It’s often used to rehabilitate patients after significant injuries or surgeries. Through gentle exercises and hands-on treatment, PT can provide numerous benefits.
1. Enhanced comfort after surgery
This is perhaps one of the most notable benefits of physical therapy. When you exercise and stretch stiff or painful joints, it can relieve inflammation and reduce pain, helping you feel more relaxed.
2. Improved mobility during recovery
Restoring mobility and range of motion is the most important part of post-op recovery, especially a joint replacement. PT allows you to slowly but surely push the boundaries of what you’re capable of, strengthening your body so you can move more freely.
3. Reduced opioid dependency
If you have concerns about taking opioids, alternative forms of pain management are important. With physical therapy, you can manage your pain using over-the-counter painkillers and PT techniques. If you still need pain relief, you can discuss other options with your doctor or take an opioid prescription sparingly.
4. Lowered risk of injury
This includes both re-injury of the joint and incurring another injury because of it. During physical therapy, you’ll be learning how to exercise your joint safely, and how to avoid straining other parts of your body to accommodate it.
4. Shortened recovery
This is perhaps the most notable benefit of physical therapy following a procedure. Many people underestimate the value of PT, assuming that their bodies will heal themselves. This is true, but helping hands can make your recovery smoother, safer, and faster.
What to expect during rehab
At The Spine and Sports Center, Dr. Benny provides physical therapy and rehabilitation to help patients recover from major operations, such as knee or hip replacements. PT can also assist in treating chronic pain, spinal injuries, and even neurological conditions like strokes.
During your consultation, Dr. Benny will evaluate your affected joint and begin building a treatment plan that suits you. Along with hands-on manipulation and strengthening exercises, he also offers other solutions, including:
- Therapeutic ultrasound
- Electrical stimulation
- Hot and cold therapy
You’re encouraged to take what you learn home with you, so you can do your stretches and exercises any time, anywhere.
To find out more about the benefits of physical therapy after joint surgery, schedule a consultation with Dr. Benny. Call our location closest to you or book an appointment online today.
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