The Importance of Physical Therapy in Hip Replacement Rehabilitation
Is pain from hip arthritis severely limiting your mobility and negatively impacting your quality of life? If severe enough, you may have opted for hip replacement surgery, a procedure with the potential to get you back to the activities you love. However, it’s not a simple journey. The good news? Physical therapy for hip replacement rehabilitation can make the path a little smoother.
Rehabilitating after a hip replacement is a lengthy process. You won’t spring out of the hospital bed ready to head out for a day-long hike–or even a five-minute walk to the corner store. However, diving into physical therapy can help ensure you have the desired outcome after your procedure.
Are you curious about what happens during physical therapy for hip replacement rehabilitation? Do you want to know what steps you can take to maximize your recovery and ensure your surgery successfully minimizes your pain and mobility restrictions?
The Sterling Physical Therapy & Wellness physical therapists are happy to answer your questions, so give us a call at our clinic–or keep reading for a quick overview!
The Relationship Between Surgery and Rehabilitation
A hip replacement is a major surgery in which a surgeon replaces the damaged parts of your joint with prosthetic pieces. Recovering from the surgery itself can take anywhere from 2 – 4 weeks, and a full rehabilitation–in which your hip is as strong and mobile as possible–can take up to a year.
Furthermore, what you do during that year will impact outcomes further down the line. The earlier you start moving, the less likely you are to develop scar tissue that can restrict the joint and cause long-term pain. It’s vital that you work through your rehabilitation so that your hip replacement proves successful.
Most people can begin walking in brief bursts with the help of a mobility aid a few days after they leave the hospital. You can also start performing very gentle mobility exercises during this initial healing phase–every little bit counts!
As your body heals, your rehabilitation will intensify. You’ll graduate from simple mobility stretches to a more intense strength-training program and then to activity-specific training to help get you back to normal.
It can sound like a lot–but physical therapy for hip replacement rehabilitation will be your guide.
Physical Therapy’s Role in Hip Replacement Rehabilitation
Physical therapy is crucial in ensuring a successful hip replacement rehabilitation. Our team of physical therapists provides expert guidance to ensure you’re performing exercises and movements that are appropriate for your current level of recovery and rehabilitation. We know what you need to do and when you need to do it to meet your rehab goals.
Here’s what you can expect when you visit Sterling Physical Therapy & Wellness for outpatient hip replacement rehabilitation:
- In-Depth Assessment: We’ll work closely with you and your care team to understand your unique situation, abilities, and goals, ensuring we craft a customized rehabilitation program that works for you.
- Pain Management: We offer drug-free pain management techniques to help manage your pain throughout your rehabilitation, especially after you can no longer take prescription pain medicine. Manual therapy, gentle stretches, and other approaches can all help you feel better and prepare your body for movement.
- Personalized, Progressive Exercise Programs: We’ll let you know which exercises you need to perform to facilitate your rehabilitation, from mobility work to functional strength training. We monitor your progress and increase the difficulty as you improve–that way, you keep seeing improvements!
- Return-to-Activity Schedules: Finally, we’ll let you know when you can return to the important activities you need and want to do, whether for work or play. If necessary, we can provide movement modifications to help you get back to day-to-day life quickly and safely.
Start Your Journey Today!
If you have a procedure scheduled, it’s never too early to start thinking about physical therapy and hip replacement rehabilitation. Request an appointment with the team at Sterling Physical Therapy & Wellness to get started! Contact us.