The Importance of Physical Activity in Orthopedic Surgery Rehabilitation
Depending on your injury or surgery, physical activity is the key to returning to full strength and mobility. Unfortunately, many people who have undergone orthopedic surgery spend too much time lying down during recovery, which can reduce muscle strength, joint stiffness and atrophy.
La Clinica helps patients with orthopedic conditions and injuries. It offers several benefits, including:
Strengthening
When recovering from musculoskeletal surgery, it is important to engage in a variety of exercises to prevent the muscles in the affected area from atrophy. This will help the patient maintain flexibility and reduce pain, as well as prevent future injuries.
Physical activity is any deliberate movement that uses muscle energy. It can be structured exercise (like sports, a gym session, or going for a brisk walk) or part of your daily activities (like raking the garden or walking to the store). Physical activity can be low, moderate or vigorous intensity.
Physical therapy is a great way to get started with these activities. A licensed physical therapist will gradually guide you in regaining your strength, range of motion and balance to improve your mobility.
They will also teach you proper movements to avoid injury in the future. Ultimately, your physical therapist can help you regain optimal function and even surpass your pre-surgery performance levels.
Flexibility
Flexibility refers to the ability of a joint or series of joints in your body to move through an unrestricted, pain free range of motion. It varies greatly from person to person, but minimum ranges are necessary for joint function and overall body health.
Your physical therapist will provide you with flexibility activities that will reduce stiffness and improve your ability to bend, stretch and reach for objects. It is important to incorporate these movements into your daily routine to prevent muscle atrophy and a decrease in your range of motion after surgery.
Often after surgery, patients spend too much time lying in bed or sitting. This can restrict blood flow in the legs and arms, leading to poor circulation and an increased risk of complications such as blood clots or infections.
Exercise helps to keep the blood flowing at a normal pace, decreasing your risk of complications and speeding up the healing process. Exercise can also help to prevent new orthopedic injuries by building muscles and improving joint stability.
Explore chicago orthopedic surgery options at La Clinica SC, offering expert care and innovative solutions for musculoskeletal conditions and injuries.
Circulation
Maintaining movement after surgery prevents stiffness, keeps the area flexible and encourages healing. It has also been shown to reduce pain, minimize scar tissue and improve outcomes in orthopedic surgery patients.
Physical therapists utilize a variety of exercises and techniques including gentle compression, warming and cooling modalities, stretching and strengthening routines.
Resting after surgery that repairs damaged musculoskeletal tissues can restrict blood flow to the surgical site and cause muscles and joints to atrophy, resulting in long-term issues like reduced range of motion and increased pain.
Your physical therapist in NYC can provide the right balance of rest and exercise to promote healing, strengthen the affected area, and reduce the risk of future injuries.
By engaging in physical therapy, you can experience a faster recovery and return to your normal life without lingering complications. Ultimately, it’s one of the best decisions you can make for your health.
Endurance
A physical therapist will incorporate endurance activities into your recovery. These exercises will help increase the strength and flexibility of your muscles while improving the efficiency of your body’s energy systems.
This will allow you to perform daily tasks without putting too much strain on your body and reduce the risk of orthopedic injuries.
A lack of movement and exercise can result in muscle atrophy, decreased range of motion and a higher risk of blood clots. Your therapist will provide you with exercises and stretches that will keep your blood flowing at a healthy rate, which will decrease pain, reduce inflammation and speed up the healing process.
A study published in the Journal of Physiotherapy showed that high-intensity exercise training can increase knee extensor strength 3 months after surgery.
This is an important finding for patients who are at risk of prolonged hospitalization and complications after orthopedic surgery. Future research should include this at-risk patient group and evaluate perioperative high-intensity exercise training programs with adequately powered trials.
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