Orthopaedic surgery includes any joint, ligament or muscle surgery and includes a wide range of procedures such as:
- Total or partial knee replacements
- Total or partial hip replacement
- Shoulder replacement
- Rotator cuff repair
- ACL reconstruction
- Ankle stabilisation
- Small joint replacement
- Neck and back surgery
Rehabilitation post-surgery is important to re-establish joint motion, muscle strength and control. Each of the different types of surgery have different recovery and rehabilitation time frames.
Physiotherapy before your surgery
The fitter and stronger you are before surgery, the better your outcome. You can prepare for surgery by:
- staying as active as you can (if pain is limiting your activity levels, we can design a program for you)
- keeping your muscles as strong as possible, your joints as mobile as possible and your cardiovascular fitness as high as possible
- losing weight if you are obese
- quitting smoking (see your GP for support)
- eating well—research has demonstrated that poorly nourished people tend to have more post surgery complications compared with those who eat well. See the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating for more information.
The benefits of physiotherapy after surgery
Post operative physiotherapy aims to:
- reduce swelling
- regain mobility
- improve strength
- regain balance, control and coordination, and
- facilitate a return to sport.
Your physiotherapist will guide you on appropriate bracing and ensure that your recovery is as smooth and fast as possible.
If you have any questions or are undergoing an operation feel free to contact us.