Navigating Post-Surgical Pain Management with Physical Therapy
Learn About Post-Surgical Pain Management So You Can Recover With Confidence
Undergoing surgery is often a significant step toward improved health and well-being. Whether it’s a joint replacement, ligament repair, or any other procedure, the path to recovery is just beginning when you leave the operating room. You’ll need support as your body heels and encouragement as you work to regain strength and independence. Fortunately, physical therapy for post-surgical pain management plays an important role in ensuring a successful recovery right from the start.
Our team has extensive experience working with patients recovering from a wide variety of surgical procedures and conditions. We know what it takes to get the most out of your recovery, and we’ll be here every step of the way.
Physical Therapy Techniques For Post-Surgical Pain Management
After surgery, your body needs time to heal and regain strength. You might experience pain, swelling, stiffness, and limited mobility in the initial days or weeks. Depending on the type and complexity of the surgery, your healthcare team will provide specific instructions to follow, like wound care, activity restrictions, and a referral to attend physical therapy to help with several areas of recovery. Post-surgical pain management will also be an important part of your recovery.
You can expect your physical therapist to use a combination of these targeted physical therapy techniques:
Managing Pain
- Through manual techniques, corrective exercises, and modalities such as heat and cold therapy, physical therapists help alleviate post-operative pain and discomfort for a smoother recovery process.
Regaining Range of Motion
- Whether you’ve undergone a joint replacement or surgery to repair a previous injury, physical therapy will focus on restoring your joint range of motion and your ability to use your extremities, balance, and perform functional tasks independently.
Improving Strength Before Surgery
- Surgery and immobility before or after surgery can lead to muscle weakness. Physical therapy utilizes targeted exercises to strengthen muscles around the surgical site and improve overall functional capacity to further help alleviate pain after the procedure.
Enhancing Function
- Whether it’s bending, lifting, or reaching, physical therapy aims to optimize your movement patterns and functional abilities to facilitate a comfortable transition back to your normal routine.
Physical Therapy After Knee Surgery
A woman came to our clinic after total knee arthroplasty because she was experiencing intense pain longer than anticipated. It was keeping her from recovering at the expected pace and had started to affect her mental health.
During our initial evaluation, we noted moderate swelling, warmth at the surgical site, and limited range of motion due to the pain. We also noted tenderness along the incision site and joint line. Fortunately, there were no signs of infection, but her pain was consistent with post-surgical inflammation and hypersensitivity.
We implemented a comprehensive post-surgical pain management plan that aimed to reduce her pain, increase her range of motion, and improve functional mobility.
Manual Therapy
- Gentle joint mobilizations and soft tissue massage were used to decrease pain and improve joint mobility.
Therapeutic Modalities
- Cold therapy (cryotherapy) was applied to reduce inflammation and numb the area. Electrical stimulation (TENS) was used to modulate pain signals.
Therapeutic Exercise
- Once her pain was under control, we introduced a gradual exercise program that focused on range of motion exercises and isometric strengthening of the quadriceps and hamstrings.
Post-Surgical Pain Management With TOP Physical Therapy
Post-surgical pain management is a critical and challenging part of the recovery process. We will help facilitate a smooth transition from surgery to recovery so you can regain mobility, strength, and functionality while you work to return to your activities with confidence and independence.
You can do this! And we’re here to help. Call us today to schedule your appointment and set yourself up for success.