Physio for Surgery: What to Know
So you might be thinking well I’m not getting surgery why am I even reading this blog post? First of all that’s great and second before you skip this blog, I’m here to tell you that physio exercises are important regardless of surgery or not and in the unlikely case of an emergency surgery you’ll be prepared.
Read on to find out why…
How Does Physio Link to Surgery?
Surgery is generally one of the last approaches after conservative management (like physio) for injuries but sometimes it is the route that makes the most sense.
Even if you’ve worked hard in your rehab and still end up going this route, all that work you did in physio will positively influence your recovery process post-surgery.
When you think of surgery you might not think of how that links to physio right away.
Types of Surgeries Connected to Physio
There are many different types of surgeries and those that relate to joints, bones and muscles (musculoskeletal system) may be the most natural to think of with physio.
This can include elective surgeries like total knee replacement (TKA) or total hip replacement (THA) and other surgeries like rotator cuff repair, achilles tendon repair, ligament reconstruction (ACL etc.), back surgeries (spinal fusion, disectomy, laminectomy), fixation surgeries for fractures, amongst others. Some other examples of surgeries of relevance to physio, but not limited to, include abdominal surgery (includes c-sections), cardiac surgery and breast surgery (breast cancer).
What Can Physio Help With Before Surgery?
Pre-surgery your physio can help identify areas for improvement including mobility, strength, stamina/endurance, pain management, functional modifications etc. Then with a variety of education, manual therapy, needling and exercise they can develop a plan with you to work on the identified areas pre-surgery.
This can then in turn make it easier to rehab after surgery as the muscles, joints etc. were stronger to begin with. In addition it can improve your physical condition to handle the stress of the surgery itself.
After surgery you may have restrictions such as how much weight you can put in a certain joint and it may be immobilized making it challenging to work the muscles around and above/below that joint. The stronger you are pre-surgery the easier it is to gain back that mobility, strength etc. after you’re able to use that joint without restrictions.
Essentially, physio before surgery (prehab) can improve strength, mobility, symptoms before surgery (optimizing function and quality of life), build confidence in movements and shorten recovery time post-surgery.
Physio for Abdominal, Cardiac and Breast Surgeries
Similarly for abdominal surgeries, strengthening the abdominal muscles or the “core” can help achieve similar benefits. Breathing exercises can also prevent postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) for major abdominal surgeries. For cardiac surgeries, physio can also help and it can include breathing exercises, light strength and mobility exercise, education and aerobic exercises. For breast surgeries, physio can help improve surgical outcomes, improve upper body function (to prevent stiffness and maintain/improve mobility), reduce risk of lymphedema and cording, while improving quality of life.
Why Physio Matters After Surgery
It’s important to keep up with physio post-surgery as well. It can lead to faster recovery, decreased pain and swelling and prevent complications like joint stiffness, scar tissue etc.
The exercises and treatment may or may not be similar to your treatment pre-surgery and your physio will assess you again and create a new/adapted treatment plan depending on your current situation, goals and any precautions/contraindications you may have post-surgery. Please bring any information you have from your surgeon for this.
Important Precautions and When Physio May Be Limited
Generally, physio is great pre- and post-surgery. However, some circumstances and conditions may limit what you can do. For example for cardiac surgeries you may need to be cleared by a cardiologist and exercises may need to be low-moderate intensity with appropriate progressions while monitoring and managing heart rate, blood pressure and other symptoms.
For more MSK surgeries like elective TKA, THA some risks could include overuse injuries or pain flare ups with exercise. This emphasizes the importance of looking at contraindications (severe pain, acute inflammation, unstable medical conditions etc.) and managing them appropriately.
Supervised exercise programs under a physio after being cleared by your specialist/doctor can be helpful in these situations to maximize the benefits of physio and exercise while mitigating the risks.
Where to Find Physio for Surgery Preparation and Recovery in Toronto
At Resilience Physiotherapy we have helped many patients successfully prepare for surgery and rehabilitate from surgery.
Our team has various tools in our toolbox from manual hands on therapy, acupuncture, dry needling, exercise rehabilitation and clinical pilates to help you achieve a full recovery and return you to the activities you love to do!
Book in with one of our very skilled therapists here to start feeling better today!
We are centrally located in the Annex neighbourhood of Toronto and very accessible to TTC!
