We all know what REHAB is, but what about PREHAB? PREHAB is injury management BEFORE an orthopedic/musculoskeletal surgery. Many people might ask, “why would I bother going to Physio before surgery when it is about to be operated on and I will need Physio after?” Or “Isn’t it better that I save my Physio dollars for post-operative?” We love questions like these because it gives us a chance to help clients excel beyond their expectations. Before a surgery whether it is an ACL tear in the knee, a total hip replacement or a cartilage repair in the shoulder, they all have something in common . Pain, pain inhibited strength, deconditioning and general strength loss, poor stability, impaired proprioception, and most often swelling, tightness and immobility When one’ goes into surgery with sub-par levels on all the above, the recovery afterwards is often more painful in the early weeks afterwards, notably slower return of mobility, higher risk for adhesive capsulitis,, slower strength gains to normal function and a protracted return to sport. None of those sound great and we know it because we have seen both pathways countless times. When you PREHAB, you see a blend of your Physio, Massage, Chiro and/or Kin team to optimize strength and mobility pre-op and minimize swelling to give yourself optimal outcomes post-op. If you are limited in Physio or extended healthcare coverage, we will do our best with what you have. Often it means 2-3 sessions pre-op ideally 6 weeks in advance for us to assess and make recommendations and prescribe home exercises that you can work on independently . If there is swelling, we want to treat that as well. Then we can save the rest of your sessions for post-op, which yes, is vital to optimal outcomes. Though this is not the ideal, it IS way better than zero PREHAB. When it comes to choosing a rehab plan for oneself – one must consider… what is YOUR why? The more important a swift recovery is to you living your best life, the more important PREHAB will be to you. Whether it’s minimal time lost from your golf game, minimal lost time being unable to contribute on the homefront as a mother or father, husband or wife, or whether it is a specific sporting event one is trying to be ready for – PREHAB will optimize outcomes post op and will always be the best option for those willing to work hard to get back to what they love most quickly
Summary:
PREHAB is very important so make sure to tell your loved ones who are awaiting surgery and frustrated with lying around. We love empowering clients and hearing their remarkable success stories after they have put in the work and are reaping the rewards. Prehab – lets make it a new buzz word 😁🙌
