If you’re preparing for an upcoming surgical procedure, you may be feeling nervous about how the procedure will go and how smoothly your recovery from the procedure will be. As the surgical deadline gets closer, a person may begin to worry they haven’t prepared enough for their procedure.
Fortunately, a person can help prepare their bodies for surgery by seeking pre-operative physiotherapy. While not many people know of the treatment, looking at one of the many physiotherapy clinics in Vancouver for pre-operative care can be one of the best things a person can do to prepare themselves for an operation.
What Is Pre-Operative Physiotherapy
Pre-operative physiotherapy is a program that focuses on exercises and stretches that help an individual prepare for an upcoming surgery. While the exercises will vary widely depending on the type of surgery being performed, the common theme between the programs will be to strengthen a person’s body and mind.
As surgeries can be hard on the body, leaving them in a state of fatigue and weariness, unable to properly maneuver their muscles, which can begin to atrophy, which can in itself cause a delay in recovery.
How Pre-operative Physiotherapy Helps
By preparing your body with pre-operative physiotherapy, you can expect the following benefits:
- Reduction of pain and inflammation
- Improved range of motion
- Better controls of the muscles and joints
- Normalizing potential movement changes that will come after a surgical procedure
- Improved fitness levels
- Lowered stress and anxiety on surgery day
Another benefit is an improved immune system due to the strength and endurance training performed in physiotherapy, which reduces the chances of developing any infections in the surgical area.
As your muscles and joints will be in a strengthened and ready state for your surgery, an individual may also find that their recovery time is much shorter or less intense than those who go without.
Physiotherapy May Prevent the Need for Surgery at All
Though not always the case, it is possible that pre-operative physiotherapy can be so effective in reducing certain physical ailments such as old injuries that surgery may not end up being required at all. You should, of course, never make this judgment call completely your own and should only consider cancelling any upcoming procedures after taking advisement from both your physiotherapist as well as a healthcare provider or surgeon.
Pre-operative Care Can Save You Money
The general rule with healthcare is that it is often cheaper to prevent than correct, and this is true for pre-operative physiotherapy as well. Studies have shown that as few as one to two sessions of physical therapy before surgery can help to reduce the need for postoperative treatment by 29% during procedures like hip and knee procedures. On average, this saved patients more than $1000 per person in post-surgical treatments.
In summary, proactively seeking out pre-operative care before your surgery can help you strengthen your body, reduce pain and inflammation, reduce recovery times, save you money long-term, and even potentially reduce the need to have surgery.
