Shockwave Therapy
Shockwave therapy (SWT) uses focused acoustic sound waves, delivered through the skin with a handheld device, to address pain in muscles, tendons and joints. It is offered at our Irvine clinic.
Service
Pre and Post-Surgical Rehab
Scheduled for surgery? Pre and post-surgical rehab is physical therapy before and after an operation, to help you go into surgery as prepared as possible and recover strength and movement afterward.
What is Pre and Post-Surgical Rehab?
Pre-surgery physical therapy, sometimes called prehabilitation, starts before your operation. If you have a ligament tear, fracture, or other injury that needs surgery, working with a physical therapist beforehand can help reduce pain and swelling, improve range of motion and strength, and prepare you physically and mentally for the procedure, which may help limit complications afterward.
After surgery, physical therapy focuses on regaining strength and movement at the surgical site while managing pain, swelling, and stiffness. After a knee or hip replacement, for example, the muscles around the joint need to be strengthened so you can move and function well again.
Your physical therapist designs a program around your procedure, your overall health, and how active you were before surgery. It typically includes stretching and strengthening exercises, balance and mobility work, and hands-on care, with other treatments such as ultrasound or electrical stimulation added if needed.
Recovery time varies from person to person, so your plan is adjusted as you progress. Your therapist also gives you exercises to do at home between visits. At KOH Physical Therapy Lab, rehab is often alongside other treatments such as shockwave therapy, kinesiology taping, fascia stretching, and cold laser therapy.
Benefits
Benefits of pre and post-surgical rehab
- May reduce pain and swelling before and after surgery.
- Can help you regain strength, range of motion, and flexibility around the surgical site.
- Can improve balance and mobility so everyday tasks like climbing stairs or standing up feel easier.
- May help limit stiffness and soften excess scar tissue with hands-on techniques.
- Can teach you how to care for yourself safely and return to daily activities.
- Before surgery, may help shorten your hospital stay and overall recovery.
- May help you feel better prepared, physically and mentally, going into surgery.
Who it is for
Who it may be right for
- People scheduled for surgery who want to prepare their body beforehand.
- People with a ligament tear or fracture that will be treated surgically.
- People recovering from joint replacement, such as a knee or hip replacement.
- People recovering from surgical repairs who need to regain strength and movement.
- People dealing with pain, swelling, stiffness, or scar tissue after an operation.
After surgery
Why is post-surgical rehab important?
Physical therapy after surgery helps you get back on your feet, and it plays an important role in healing after repairs and joint replacements.
It can also help manage pain after surgery with less pain medication, which may reduce the need for opioids. Your therapist uses specialized methods such as ultrasound, fascia release, laser therapy, shockwave therapy, and a home exercise program.
Recovery time
How long will post-surgery physical therapy take?
Soft tissue takes six to eight weeks on average to heal, so plan to dedicate at least that long to physical therapy. Timing varies with the procedure you had, your overall health, and how active you were before surgery, and your therapist gives you exercises to do at home to support your recovery.
Benefits
Five reasons physical therapy is an important part of surgery recovery
Physical therapy after surgery supports your recovery in several ways.
- Balance, mobility and strength: after surgery, the body tends to guard the injured area, which can lead to swelling, spasms, tight muscles and limited motion. Core strengthening for the back and pelvis can improve balance and support recovery from surgeries such as hip or knee replacement.
- Reduce pain and swelling: post-operative swelling is a normal part of recovery and differs from person to person. Reducing it can support healing and range of motion while easing pain, and rehab teaches you how to care for yourself and return to daily activities.
- Minimize scar tissue: scar tissue naturally forms after surgery and can limit motion and flexibility. Your therapist can soften excess scarring with massage, fascia release and ultrasound to help restore movement.
- Avoid complications: after surgery, risks such as blood clots, joint stiffness (contractures) and other setbacks still exist. Tailored movement with a physical therapist can help lower these risks.
- Improved flexibility: inactivity can leave muscles weak, sore and prone to injury, making it hard to reach overhead, climb stairs or stand up from a chair. Gentle stretching early in rehab helps keep vulnerable muscles flexible.
Related
Related services
Kinesiology Taping
Kinesiology therapeutic taping uses an elastic tape applied to specific areas of the body to support muscles, tendons, and ligaments, help relieve pain and swelling, and support athletic performance.
Fascial Stretching
Fascia stretching therapy is therapist-assisted stretching and mobility work for plantar fasciitis, neck pain, and other musculoskeletal conditions. It works on the whole connective tissue system, not just single muscles.
Ready to get started?
Request an appointment online, or text our scheduling team. Text is the fastest way to reach us.