Preparing for Joint Surgery in Montgomery County: What Lansdale Patients Need to Know Before Post-Op Rehab
Prepping for a big orthopedic surgery, like knee, hip, or shoulder replacement? Many patients tend to only think about the day-of and aftercare. Getting the right medical items stocked up, having the right home care in place, and knowing to take it easy for a few weeks or even months.
But a far too often overlooked variable that has massive impact on how well you do, and how short your hospital stay will be, is something that happens long before you ever get to the hospital.
At UNIQ Physical Therapy, we help Montgomery County residents with pre-surgical physical therapy (prehab). We can help you prepare for your knee, hip, or shoulder replacement to dramatically cut down on pain and recovery time.
Why “Prehab” Makes Post-Op Rehab Easier
Think of it as a marathon. You wouldn’t enter a marathon without months of training. It really is the same type of preparation for surgery.
After surgery, your operated joint will naturally experience some inflammation and swelling. It’s also common to have some weakness in the muscles around the joint as the body heals. Starting out a rehab program with weak quads or hamstrings or limited range of motion is asking for more than your body might be able to handle.
Prehab changes that trajectory by focusing on three essential goals:
Create a Muscle Buffer: Rebuilding the supporting muscles around your joint prior to surgery can help you maintain a baseline of strength during your period of post-surgical bed rest
Restore Joint Range of Motion : Coming into surgery with a relaxed, mobile joint will help decrease the stiffness after surgery and limit the amount of excess scar tissue that can develop
Learn to Use Assistive Devices: Becoming comfortable navigating stairs, sitting up from a seated position and walking with either crutches or a walker before surgery will help you avoid being panicked when you return home with these same devices.
3 Actionable Steps to Prepare Your Joint Before Surgery
While your clinical prehab program will be tailored to your specific joint and surgical procedure, these three foundational strategies can help prepare your body and home environment:
1. Practice Single-Leg and Core Stabilization
Why it’s helpful: Many people find that they have to lean quite heavily on their good leg and put strain on their core muscles while healing after surgery.
How to do it: While gripping a sturdy countertop for support, practice balancing on your good leg for 15 to 20 seconds at a time while tightening your stomach muscles.
2. Pre-Optimize Your Home Environment
Why it helps: Taking away physical dangers in your environment can prevent slips or twists of your joints during your first week home.
How to do it: Clear your home of tripping hazards, such as throw rugs, so that you can see and walk around them. Put up night-lights in your hallways. Store kitchen items within your waist and chest to avoid twisting or overreaching.
3. Learn Early Ankle & Calf Mobilizations
Why it helps: Promotes healthy lower-leg circulation to reduce post surgical swelling and risk of DVT (deep vein thrombus).
How to do it: While lying comfortably on a bed or recliner work your ankles up and down gently for 20 to 30 times per hour to promote joint fluid and blood circulation.
Seamless Prehab and Post-Op Care in Lansdale
Whether you’re having outpatient joint procedures at nearby medical facilities or back from surgery centers in the greater Philadelphia area, having a local physical therapy team is one less thing you have to worry about during your recovery.
At our Lansdale clinic, nestled in the Allen-Forge Shopping Center on South Valley Forge Road, our doctorate-level team works in conjunction with local orthopedic surgeons across Montgomery County. We offer unrivaled continuity of care, beginning from your prehabilitation assessments leading up to your post-surgical functional rehabilitation requirements. Our team will walk you through every step of the way, so you never have to face the road to recovery on your own.
When you are preparing for an upcoming procedure, connecting with our experts for Physical Therapy Lansdale gives your joint the best possible head start.
Take Control of Your Surgical Recovery Today
You don’t have to wait to regain your mobility and independence following your procedure. With Pennsylvania’s Direct Access laws, you can now schedule a pre-surgical evaluation for a UNIQ Physical Therapy clinician without a referral note.
Call in today for your prehab consult and let us help you design a plan to expedite your recovery and get you back to feeling your best.
About the Author
Dr. Ankit Patel, PT, DPT, founder of Uniq Physical Therapy, brings 10+ years of expertise to the Warminster and Lansdale communities. He earned his Doctorate from Arcadia University and previously managed clinics for industry leaders like Rothman Orthopaedics, ATI, and Novacare. Specializing in orthopedic, sports, and geriatric care, Dr. Patel is LSVT BIG Certified and integrates holistic practices like Yoga and Reiki into his evidence-based treatments. Dedicated to building deep patient trust, he focuses on non-surgical recovery and personalized care to help every individual reclaim their mobility and health.
