Bloomington / Normal, IL

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Physical Therapy Makes a Difference

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By Chris Byers, PT, Advanced Rehab and Sports Medicine

Joint replacement surgery has become quite common. The annual number of surgeries has continued to grow exponentially from the early 70s, when very few were done, to more than 1 million Americans having a hip or knee replaced each year. In the past, doctors usually reserved replacement surgery primarily for people over 60. The thinking was that older people typically are less active and put less stress on an artificial joint than do younger people. In more recent years, however, doctors have found that joint replacement surgery can be very successful in younger people as well. New technology has improved the artificial parts, allowing them to last longer and withstand more stress while incredible improvements have also been made in surgical techniques.

Another major improvement has been in the recovery and rehabilitation phase after surgery. Many of the early surgeries required weeks of hospitalization and patients often failed to regain full recovery of function and mobility. Today, most patients are out of the hospital within a few days, and within a few months, the new joint works and feels just like a normal joint. With 23 years in the physical therapy profession, I have watched these surgeries evolve. I continue to marvel at the ability for a person to have a total knee replacement and be walking in a couple of weeks. The same can be said for the hip replacement and the remarkable speed in which people return to their regular daily activities.

However, the body does need help to recover and physical therapy plays a critical role. As the technology and techniques of surgery have improved, the one constant has been the need for physical therapy. When joints are surgically opened, muscles cut, and tissues stretched, the result is loss of strength and range of motion. Our ability to get out of a chair, on and off a toilet, up and down stairs, and walk all rely on the strength and range of motion of the knee or hip. Regaining the strength, range of motion, and ability to walk properly is crucial to having a successful outcome. Studies show that people who don’t recover their strength and motion have lower levels of activity, become socially inactive, and often are depressed.

The main reasons people elect to have a replacement surgery are to relieve pain and regain loss of mobility. This is precisely why physical therapy plays a critical role. To get the most out of a new hip or knee and achieve maximum long-term functional mobility, exercises and stretches directed by a highly trained and experienced physical therapist make the difference. I often tell patients that it would be such a waste of their time to go through the surgery and not have help in the recovery process.

Joint replacement surgery is a very successful and safe operation, but long-term success is largely dependent on the patient. It takes time and effort to strengthen the muscles around the joint after surgery. No one forces patients to attend physical therapy for 4–6 weeks. The standard treatment program for the total knee replacement involves therapeutic exercise, stretches to regain joint motion, and gait training to restore normal walking. Helping patients walk with normal gait and good balance is the end goal of therapy treatment. Therapy for a total knee replacement will take at least 4–6 weeks and roughly the same for a total hip replacement. The healing continues for many months but the results are amazing, and I never tire of seeing people get back to activities they love and being able to enjoy time with family and friends.

For more information on physical therapy after joint replacement surgery, or any sort of pain or injury, you may contact Advanced Rehab & Sports Medicine at 309-664-9104 or www.advrehab.com. Their office is located at 135 N. Williamsburg Dr. in Bloomington. Free assessments are offered within 24 hours of contact for patients of all ages.

Photo credit: DNY59 /iStock