The American College of Rheumatology estimates that about 790,000 total knee replacements and more than 450,000 hip replacements are performed each year in the United States. Those numbers will increase as our population gets older.

Total joint replacement is considered by experts to be one of the safest and most reliable treatments in any area of medicine. It can last 20 years or longer and often is a lifelong solution for arthritis in the affected region.

But special attention must be given in the days and weeks immediately following surgery for maximum effectiveness. Physical therapy can make a huge difference, even when done before the procedure.

Prehab Aids Postoperative Healing

“The advantage of doing prehab is to make sure we are retaining range of motion for the surrounding joints and as much strength as we can,” said Dr. Karyn Staples, PT, PhD, NCPT of ProHealth Physical Therapy and Pilates Studio in Peachtree City.

“That way, as the person is just generally doing their day-to-day tasks, they are starting to move in a way that’s less compensated. Then the postoperative outcome is better for two reasons: they are stronger going in, and they’ve undone some of the habits that they’ve done.”

If a total knee replacement has been recommended, the patient very likely has seen the joint deteriorate to a bone-on-bone condition. This can be due to years of wear and tear that has been aggravated by old injuries. The joint can no longer sustain normal use without pain and instability, which can lead to an unnatural shift in movement mechanics and muscle activation patterns.

Therapy After Surgery

Of course, right after surgery there is going to be some pain and decreased range of motion. Physical therapy is important for improving range of motion and improving strength. There is also a need to make sure the patient is walking correctly, with a normal gait pattern and the right amount of balance.

“They’re generally more surprised by how much discomfort there is and how stiff things are,” said Staples. “So it takes a different mindset. The individual needs to make sure that it’s not the same pain and the pain as before and that what they’re feeling postoperatively will get better. There is a sense of having to push through some of that discomfort to allow for the body to start to heal and to move better and go into that normalized gait pattern.”

Choose ProHealth for Physical Therapy

Many patients determine where to get their physical therapy solely by the orthopedist’s recommendation, and many times the physician’s office offers to provide this service. But patients may choose their own option, and ProHealth can often be the best choice. The professionals there utilize the principles of Pilates and focus on the individual patient, always in a one-on-one setting instead of a group of three or four at a time.

“We have plenty of examples of patients who came in for prehab, had the procedure and then returned for rehab for an excellent outcome,” said Staples. “We have also helped a few who had some post-surgery issues such as infection which required medical intervention, and then returned to physical therapy. Since they didn’t get the focused attention that was necessary, they chose to switch to ProHealth. That change led to a better outcome and got the joint moving again the way it is supposed to. They learned much more about how they should be moving and the quality of that movement.”

ProHealth Physical Therapy and Pilates Studio is located at 1777 Georgian Park in Peachtree City. For more information or to book an appointment, phone 770-487-1931 or visit prohealthga.com.