Rehabilitation

What is rehabilitation?

Rehabilitation is part of the physical medicine approach to recovery from injury and chronic pain. Physical medicine and rehab work hand-in-hand to help you return to full function without invasive treatments or dangerously addictive narcotic pain medications.

Rehabilitation includes many kinds of care, but the major components of this treatment include physical therapy, massage therapy, exercise therapy, and injury prevention education. Physical therapists, athletic trainers, and other medical professionals work with physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians to deliver complete recovery care.

What conditions or injuries might require rehabilitation?

Many different musculoskeletal conditions and injuries respond well to physical medicine and rehabilitation. Some injuries and conditions that the Center for Orthopaedics rehabilitation team regularly treats include:

• Sports injuries
• Traumatic injuries
• Neck pain
• Lower back pain
• Myofascial pain
• Sprains and strains
• Fractures
• Ligament and tendon tears
• Arthritis

Rehabilitation is also necessary after a surgery like hip replacement. You can quickly return to walking and normal daily activities by undergoing rehabilitation before (prehab) and after your surgery.

How does the rehabilitation process work?

Most people’s first rehabilitation appointment is scheduled for immediately after their medical treatment or at the same time as treatment. In fact, people who’ve had joint replacement surgery often have their first appointment on the day of their surgery or the next day.

The rehabilitation process is different for every person, but many people have several treatments during a single appointment. For example, you might have physical therapy and a therapeutic massage during the same appointment.

The Center for Orthopaedics team designs a personalized rehabilitation plan for you. They’ll set treatment goals with you at the beginning of the process so that you know what to expect.

Rehabilitation can sometimes be challenging because the goals include improving muscle strength and flexibility. But you gain huge benefits through the rehabilitation process, and it helps you reclaim your long-term health and wellness.

Exercising at home is part of the rehab process. The team prescribes individualized exercise therapy so that you can take an active role in your recovery both at home and at the Center for Orthopaedics office.

Find out how physical medicine and rehabilitation can help you recover and thrive. Call the Center for Orthopaedics today or schedule an appointment online.