Having surgery is a daunting task for all and not many of us sign up voluntarily for them. What is lacking during the process of scheduling and having surgery is being provided information regarding what to expect afterwards. This is sometimes referred to as “prehab”. I can’t tell you how many patients of mine come to me following a rotator cuff or total knee replacement and I explain something to them regarding their procedure, and I hear, “well nobody ever told me that”. Education is so important to recovery and it is often lacking, or worse off, forgotten about completely. This post will contain some general things to expect that are common to most surgical procedures and not specific to one in particular.
First off, expect pain. This is truly one of the few times in the clinic where your physical therapist will be okay having you work through a little discomfort. Some of us are lucky and feel less; however, most likely all of us will experience some level of pain. This is completely normal and a sign that our body is fighting intruders and trying to heal. It is not uncommon to have pain for up to a year following surgery; however, most pain levels will decrease by around 3-6 months following surgery. For pain relief, common methods or treatment can be medication (in which you can consult your physician) and attending your scheduled physical therapy visits regularly. In the clinic, we can provide you with carefully prescribed range of motion and strengthening exercises, soft tissue mobilization and joint stretching, and modalities such as electrical stimulation or ice/heat.
Secondly, expect swelling. Swelling is a completely normal response to healing process and can be expected for up to 1 year following your procedure. It is not uncommon to experience fluctuation in swelling throughout your rehab process as well. Performing your stretches and range of motion exercises as well as icing, elevating, and compressing can help to alleviate these symptoms. Your physical therapist can also provide soft tissue mobilization to help reduce your swelling as well.
Lastly, expect some difficulties for a year to a year and a half. The first six weeks following your procedure are often considered the most important as this is the window provided for you and your therapist to work diligently on regaining your full motion. After those 6 weeks, it becomes more challenging to stretch the tissue as your muscle fibers begin taking their permanent shape. Collagen, which makes up the muscle fiber, takes around 300 days to heal. If you had a second surgery or manipulation, you can expect to develop more scar tissue and may have a longer healing time. The best thing to do is follow your therapists’ instructions regarding your rehab. They are fully trained professionals who understand the healing process and will help guide you through it towards achieving all of your goals.
We do not want this information to be alarming in any way; however, more informative so you can be more at ease leading up to and following your procedure. Surgeries can be a scary time for us and knowing this information can help you and your therapist through the post-operative process.