Benefits of Preoperative PT

Published August 29, 2022

Benefits of Preoperative PT

Injuries can occur for various reasons and sometimes they require surgery. You just scheduled your surgery and are now wondering what do I need to do to prepare? Should I be doing any exercises? What equipment will I need? I am spending a night in the hospital, what should I pack?

Preoperative physical therapy for common procedures

Don’t worry! OrthoBethesda Physical Therapy has you covered! At OrthoBethesda Physical Therapy we routinely schedule preoperative visits for the following procedures:

• Total hip and knee replacements
• Anatomical and reverse shoulder replacements
• Rotator cuff repairs
• Cervical and lumbar fusions

What you can expect with preoperative physical therapy

Just because your procedure isn’t listed, doesn’t mean that you cannot benefit from a preoperative appointment. During a preoperative visit, your physical therapist (PT) will review with you:

• Surgery specific protocol
• Pre-operative checklist to prepare you and your home for your recovery
• What to expect during the first 2 weeks after your surgery
• Equipment that you may need after your surgery
• Exercises to prepare you for your surgery
• Benefits of using ice
• How to safely use any applicable assistive devices (walker, cane, crutches) or immobilization devices (sling, brace)
• Strategies to minimize/manage your pain and sleep better
• Importance of diaphragmatic breathing
• Education on precautions for future dental work.

Your PT will also measure your range of motion and strength, so that we can see how you improve after your surgery. OrthoBethesda Physical Therapy tries to schedule your postoperative PT sessions with the same PT that you saw for your preoperative visit! This allows your therapist to really get to know you and make comparisons for how you are doing before and after surgery.

Choose OrthoBethesda Physical Therapy for your preoperative physical therapy

In some cases, your PT may suggest that you attend additional PT sessions prior to your surgery. In these sessions, your PT may use manual techniques and exercises to improve your motion, strength, and balance prior to your surgery. Preoperative PT will help you to improve your post-surgical outcomes. It is important to note that your insurance plan may only provide a certain amount of PT sessions for the year regardless of diagnosis/conditions. Your PT will work with you to plan how to best utilize your visits, Please call your insurance plan to verify your benefits.

Please call OrthoBethesda Physical Therapy today to schedule your preoperative visit today! We offer preoperative visits at our Bethesda office, so please contact our office.

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