An orthopedic rehabilitation program usually involves a multidisciplinary team of specialists. It may include physical therapists, occupational therapists, nurses, doctors, and other specialists that offer treatments complementing each other and that deliver the best results. This rehabilitation program is a therapeutic approach to recovery and is aimed at correcting musculoskeletal limitations while alleviating pain from trauma, illness, or surgery.
The musculoskeletal limitations can be issues with muscles, bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, or cartilage, and orthopedic rehabilitation addresses each one of them. That is why it is considered a crucial part of the recovery process.
Here are five important ways an orthopedic rehabilitation program can help:
1. Increases Mobility
Your mobility is usually restricted after an operation. And it requires proper care management and treatment, or your problem can persist and even worsen. However, orthopedic physical therapy can help you regain and even improve your mobility. It involves a regimen of stretching and exercises that are suitable for medical conditions such as sprains, tendonitis, bursitis, and similar chronic conditions.
It may also involve devices such as canes, crutches, braces, and other special aids. This program gives you the ability to move freely and reduces the risk of any problems that might require further surgeries.
2. Helps Regain Strength
Apart from mobility, you also need to rebuild strength to ensure proper recovery. After a major operation, you may lose significant muscular strength due to stagnancy and pain. And, this strength is never regained without proper rehabilitation, especially with the elderly. That is why orthopedic physical therapy is necessary as it brings your muscle strength back to its normal functioning level.
3. Alleviates Pain
Around 15 million people in the US alone experience severe joint pain related to arthritis. Orthopedic physical therapy can help alleviate pain and reduce the need for pain medication that may have negative side-effects. It involves massages, temperature therapy, TENS, and other exercises that significantly help with pain management.
4. Improves Blood Circulation
The human body has about 60,000 miles of blood vessels. Proper blood circulation is important when it comes to healing and getting back to normal. Or else, the blood remains stagnant and may prohibit healing at the surgery’s site, causing more pain, infection, and lack of mobility. With orthopedic physical therapy, your blood flow is maximized, and the recovering parts of the body begin to receive the nutrients they need to recover and improve.
5. Helps Regain Balance and Control
Nearly 40% of older adults suffer from balance problems. A major operation (especially around the hip or lower body) may hinder your ability to balance freely. It also increases the risk of re-injury through a fall, and you may need the assistance of therapists to move around. However, with orthopedic physical therapy, you get all the tools you need to regain your balance and control. It’s a safe and gradual plan that will help you get confidently back on your feet.
An orthopedic rehabilitation program differs from one patient to another based on their specific condition, goals, and abilities. It is a personalized treatment program created by your healthcare team and they adjust it timely according to your recovery along the way. And even though this program differs for everyone, you will find that it involves a natural progression to maximize your recovery.