Rotator cuff tears are common problems with the shoulder joint and could lead to arm weakness, inflammation, shoulder pain, and mobility problems. Doctors often recommend surgery to repair severe rotator cuff tears. Though many people know that recovery from rotator cuff surgery includes physical therapy to improve range of motion, few understand the benefits of prehabilitation.
Prehabilitation, or pre-surgery physical therapy and post-surgery physical therapy, is the best way to improve a patient’s outcome after treatment. Exchange Physical Therapy Group offers prehabilitation services for rotator cuff surgeries and other conditions. Our mission is not only to provide superior services but also to educate patients about pre-surgery physical therapy.
Benefits of Pre-Surgery Physical Therapy
You could experience one of three tears to a rotator cuff tendon: partial, medium, or massive. The shoulder is a large joint with complex structures. Surgeries and treatments for tears will depend on the injury’s severity.
Prehabilitation programs put patients on the fast track to recovery after surgery. Though post-surgery rehabilitation is essential to restore the shoulder’s function and reduce pain, the joint and its tendons are vulnerable to re-injury. Preparing your body for surgery increases positive outcomes and a smoother recovery period.
Take a closer look at the pre-surgery physical therapy benefits below.
Reduce Stress & Improve Sleep
Any surgery can induce stress. Unfortunately, feeling stressed and overwhelmed can impede your healing process.
Prehabilitation helps you work through your nervousness about your upcoming treatment as compassionate physical therapists will provide support to reduce your anxiety. In addition, these professionals will teach you relaxation techniques that can improve your sleep, which is essential for a successful recovery.
Lower Complication Risks
Rotator cuff injuries have a high recurrence risk after surgical repair. Unfortunately, this surgery, like all others, can also have complications that increase the recovery timeline. The good news is that prehabilitation can dramatically lower the risk of complications and re-injury.
Your physical therapist will educate you on the best practices to follow before your surgery. For example, they may recommend you reduce your alcohol intake, stop smoking, and adopt other healthier habits. Lowering complication risks before surgery produces a better outcome for your post-surgery recovery.
You can also expect to learn what actions or activities you can perform using your injured shoulder that are safe for your specific condition. If you know how to move, the risk of re-injury drops.
Decrease Healing Time
The experienced practitioner will teach you safe and effective exercises and stretches when you attend pre-surgery physical therapy sessions. Many of the initial movements will mimic or closely resemble activities you will perform after the rotator cuff surgery. However, as you progress, the therapist may move toward activities catering to your specific treatment plan.
Since you will have a headstart on physical therapy exercises through prehabilitation, you could reduce your recovery timeline. It generally takes six to eight weeks for the rotator cuff tendon to heal, but massive tear recovery can require up to 12 months.
It’s impossible to know precisely how much you could reduce your healing time with pre-surgery physical therapy. However, you can be confident that you’re not going into your recovery period blind without preparation on your part. Prehabilitation will jumpstart your rehabilitation.
Reach out to Exchange Physical Therapy for Prehabilitation for Your Rotator Cuff Surgery
At Exchange Physical Therapy, we aim to provide unmatched service and physical therapy care. We have four convenient state-of-the-art facilities in Jersey City, Weehawken, Downtown Hoboken, and Uptown Hoboken, NJ, where you’ll receive attentive care for your specific needs.
Our team embraces patient-centered methodologies that will help your body heal so that you can get back to your life. Every facility includes a team of friendly and licensed practitioners with training on the latest techniques to relieve your pain and promote healing. With our pre-surgery consultations and targeted treatment sessions, we can prepare you for your upcoming rotator cuff surgery and recovery period.
Contact Exchange Physical Therapy Group at one of our New Jersey locations to schedule your first pre-surgery physical therapy session.
