Many people may misunderstand that after surgery, one should rest to allow the body to fully recover. However, physical therapy is another step that helps improve the body’s mobility function after surgery.
The body needs rest after surgery
We believe that some patients still misunderstand, thinking that after surgery they can immediately return to work. But in reality, the body cannot respond to such demands right away. The body still needs recovery time to return to normal function and prepare for a new start. Therefore, the success of treatment depends on proper self-care and physical therapy after surgery.
Understanding Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is the science of health rehabilitation through exercise and the use of special equipment, such as heat, cold, electromagnetic waves that provide deep heat (Short Wave Diathermy), and other physical therapy tools like Ultrasound, Low Level Laser Therapy, Shockwave, electrical stimulation for pain relief, cervical and lumbar traction devices, etc. Additionally, manual therapy called Manipulation & Mobilization, muscle stretching exercises, strengthening exercises, and proper body movement techniques are also used.
Important reasons not to neglect physical therapy
The purpose of physical therapy is to help patients recover to be as strong and mobile as possible. However, it should be understood that some patients may require a long recovery period depending on the type and stage of the disease, surgical method, management of risk factors, and patient age. The main goals of physical therapy are divided into three major points:
- Pain reduction
This involves treating pain and numbness. After surgery, almost all patients experience pain, swelling, redness, and heat caused by poor blood circulation around the wound, leading to swelling. Physical therapy can help reduce these symptoms by using cold compresses to reduce inflammation, electrical stimulation or massage to drain fluid around the wound, or physical therapy devices to reduce pain and inflammation. - Muscle strengthening
After surgery, pain persists, limiting movement and requiring the body part to remain still for proper wound healing. However, prolonged immobility causes muscle atrophy and weakness. For example, knee surgery patients may feel fatigued and sore after walking just a few steps compared to the unoperated leg. Therefore, physical therapy to restore muscle strength is crucial for patients to regain sufficient muscle strength to live normally and reduce the risk of falls in the future. Conversely, if patients refuse physical therapy, allowing muscles and tendons to weaken, they may have difficulty walking and may need to use a wheelchair permanently, leading to a lower quality of life and becoming a burden to others. - Increase joint range of motion
Post-surgical joint stiffness, where bending or normal movement is limited, is often caused by pain that leads patients to avoid bending or moving joints such as the knee or shoulder. Prolonged immobility can cause fibrosis within tendons and muscles, leading to contractures and eventually joint stiffness, affecting daily life and increasing the risk of falls and accidents due to limited mobility.
Therefore, physical therapy after surgery, by exercising and moving the joints as much as possible, helps reduce joint stiffness. Most patients are reluctant due to pain, but for a better quality of life in the future, it is essential for patients to undergo physical therapy.
