Post-operative muscle care

Post-operative muscle care is essential for a full recovery following surgery. At Cairnhill Physiotherapy, our expert practitioners treat a wide range of needs which includes surgery on; shoulders, knees, ankles; reconstructions, rotator cuff and labral repairs, hip and knee replacements, hip and knee arthroscopy, achilles tendon repairs and fractures. Our physiotherapists will guide you through your rehabilitation process, monitor your progress and help you to understand your limitations.

The process of surgery can cause scar tissue to be added to muscle tissue. This increased scar tissue can be problematic, requiring a post-surgery visit to a physiotherapist and conservative treatment. If you don’t take the proper steps, your injury could be worse than it was before the surgery. Here are some ways to treat post-op rehabilitation:

Rest

Rest is important for early healing and can reduce pain, swelling, and inflammation in the early stages of soft tissue injury. Too much rest can also be detrimental, as joint immobility can lead to stiffness, overcompensation, and soft tissue atrophy. This is why rest should be used to reduce initial pain and swelling, but long-term conservative treatment should not be considered.

Specialist massage

Muscles surrounding the area of operation can often grow tight post-surgery which can lead to a build-up of scar tissue and joint stiffness. Our expert treatment works to decrease muscle spasms, break down the scar tissue to allow it to move freely and mobilise your joints. We are experts at prescribing exercise programmes that will aid you in regaining your mobility, flexibility, strength and movement so you can return to all the activities you enjoy doing.

Rehabilitation stretching

The purpose of this is to provide a greater range of motion, pain relief, and strengthening of the surrounding tissues of the joint under the supervision of a physiotherapist or doctor. Aggressive stretching can be harmful – when working with a joint with a very limited range of motion, there is a high risk of further damage to weak soft tissues and damage to them. This may lead to the need for surgery, so you need to see a physical therapist or doctor, as they can determine the stretch settings that are safe for you. Stretching is in many ways critical to maintaining a good range of motion (MR) at the joint.

I.C.E treatment

Use a cold pack or ice pack – cold is very effective in reducing pain and inflammation – use it at the beginning of an injury and during flare-ups.

Be careful not to aggravate the injury

Whilst we would aim to return you to your previous physical state, post-op care may include cutting back on the same activities that resulted in the injury. Continued regular exercise can increase the severity of the injury, turning a case of mild to moderate muscle fatigue into a downward spiral of atrophic damage that can eventually seriously affect your life. That’s why our advice is important when it comes to the speed of your recovery.

Contact us today to talk to our experts about pre-op and post-op rehabilitation.