01/17/2024
Although surgery exists to correct a problem, it still creates another trauma at the injury site. To make sure your surgery is successful, you need to do your part!
Rest is incredibly important following certain types of surgery, as the body requires time to heal. This being said, there are specific windows in which movement is crucial so that range of motion and joint function are maintained. Make sure to listen to your surgeon and rehab team to know when to rest, or when to move.
Although around two weeks post you may start feeling amazing, reduced pain does not ensure tissue strength. The second stage of healing is where tissues begin to realign to generate strength, but are not fully formed. This time frame is typically where reinjury occurs because the body is not yet ready to return to full demand.
This leads us into realistic expectations! There are some surgeries that may have a very fast recovery time, but with something like an ACL reconstruction, we're looking at anywhere from 9 to 18 months for full return to play. Once again, consult your rehab team throughout the process to see what is allowed.
And if you're hoping to be ready to play at the earlier end of the spectrum, prehab is a game changer! When we are immobilized we lose muscle mass and responsive neural pathways. If we beef up these systems before surgery, we will start farther ahead when we begin post surgical rehab.
Questions about post surgical rehab? Leave a comment below or send me a DM.