How physio can help with post-injury and post-surgery rehabilitation
People often come to us asking how do I return to exercise after surgery or an injury?
Often followed by, when can I start?
What exercises are safe?
How do I know if I’m pushing too hard, or not hard enough?
These are valid questions and concerns after getting hurt or going through the discomfort of surgery. You want to get back to the activities and lifestyle you love, but there’s a lot of uncertainty. The great news is physio can help with post-injury and post-surgery rehabilitation. Beyond this, our team not only understands what you are going through, they’re here to help guide you through.
Why physiotherapy is important after surgery or injury
Nursing an injury or recovering from surgery often feels like a setback, as it takes time for your body to heal. Physiotherapy is one way to help regain strength and mobility while the natural healing process takes place.
While it’s normal to reduce movement or to feel trepidation about using the affected area, it’s still important to reintroduce some movement to help get your body back on the right track.
After surgery or injury, your body will experience an immediate physical reaction in the form of pain, swelling, loss of strength and/or mobility. Without proper rehabilitation, these issues can persist far longer than they need to, potentially leading to:
- Ongoing pain and stiffness that affects your daily life
- Loss of muscle strength and tone
- Reduced flexibility and range of motion
- Poor movement habits that put strain on other parts of the body
- An increased risk of re-injury
- A slower, more frustrating path back to your optimal lifestyle
Because any type of surgery/injury weakens muscles and joints, you need to focus on gently getting things on the move. With a return to function and a reduction in pain and swelling, healing from surgery is quicker.
The benefits of post-injury or post-surgery physiotherapy
Physiotherapy after surgery or an inury can help you:
- Regain trust in your body and your movement, helping you feel secure and capable as you progress through each stage of recovery.
- Decrease stress and anxiety by providing a clear plan and support. You’ll know exactly what to do, when to do it and have someone monitoring your progress.
- Get back in the game or back to normal life in a safe, consistent manner.
- Experience relief from pain via hands-on physiotherapy treatment and carefully chosen exercises that reduce pain and swelling.
What to expect from our treatment
Our philosophy at Physio73 always comes back to creating positive patient outcomes via clear, step-by-step plans. Our aim is to get you out of pain and keep you there.
Your physiotherapy treatment plan will address the needs and particulars of each recovery stage. Here’s an idea of what to expect.
In the immediate post-surgery/post-injury stage, the primary focus is to address pain and swelling. We start with a detailed conversation and physical assessment to understand:
In the immediate post-surgery/post-injury stage, the primary focus is to address pain and swelling. We start with a detailed conversation and physical assessment to understand:
- Your symptoms, injury history and goals
- How your body moves overall, not just where it hurts
- Contributing factors like work, lifestyle and posture
This gives us a clear picture of the root cause of the problem or injury, allowing us to create a roadmap specifically for your recovery.
Gentle manual therapy is introduced to help you regain joint motion so you can walk, lift and hold items. We can also provide:
- Hands on therapy to reduce pain and stiffness
- Targeted exercises to relieve symptoms
- Advice on what to do/avoid in the initial stage
Normalising body mechanics and building strength are the key goals in the second post-operative/post-injury phase. Once your initial symptoms are under control, we look at how you move. Specifically:
- Identifying weak links or compensations elsewhere
- Reteaching control and optimal loading through the body
- Rebuilding confidence with movement
In addition to manual therapy, we may introduce balance and proprioception (your body’s ability to sense its own position) tasks introduced to help you increase the range of motion in your joints as well as strengthening them.
After regaining strength and independent movement, you should now be moving towards normal function.
Once you reach this goal, your physiotherapist will design a custom exercise program for you to follow, taking your lifestyle, goals and physical ability into consideration. The goal is to gradually build resilience so your body can cope with the demands of life, in areas like:
- Identifying weak links or compensations elsewhere
- Reteaching control and optimal loading through the body
- Rebuilding confidence with movement
Beyond Recovery – Prevention of Reinjury
Long-term prevention and minimising the chance of reinjury/recurrence are always front of mind. Our physios don’t just patch you up and send you on your way. We’re invested in keeping you healthy, active and pain/injury-free long-term.
Why choose post-surgical physiotherapy at Physio73
Recovery is a long process. It starts the moment after you are wheeled out of the operating theatre or limp off the track. Physiotherapy helps in this by addressing pain, inflammation, strength and range of motion, while providing greater certainty.
Whether you’re an athlete working towards a return to competition, a weekend warrior who wants to get back out there, or someone who simply wants to move without pain again—we’ll meet you where you are and get you where you want to be.
Common surgeries and injuries we treat
We’ve helped countless patients successfully return to exercise after:
- ACL reconstruction
- Rotator cuff repair
- Meniscus repair
- Hip or knee replacements
- Shoulder surgery
- Ankle reconstruction
- Ligament sprains (ACL, MCL, ankle sprains)
- Muscle tears and strains
- Tendon injuries (Achilles, patellar, rotator cuff)
- Fractures and stress fractures
- Tendinopathies that won’t settle
- Chronic joint pain
- Repetitive strain injuries
Book your post-injury or post-surgery assessment today and let’s get you back to good health.