7 Key Benefits of Physical Therapy Following Joint Replacement Surgery

The only way you can recover your joint function (or at least most of it) after joint replacement surgery is through personalized physical therapy. That’s why the skilled team of Elation Physical Therapy physical therapists is eager to meet with you in preparation for your surgery and discuss a timeline for reaching your goals. 

Although rehabilitation takes time, the benefits you’ll get from physical therapy make the entire process worth your while. Our offices in Houston, Pearland, and Cypress, Texas, are equipped to provide advanced physical therapy services that target specific joints after joint replacement surgeries. The exercises you practice in our offices slowly build strength and mobility while reducing your risk of post-surgical complications and injuries. 

Elation Physical Therapy strives to give you the best possible surgical outcome by training you through a roughly 12-week physical therapy program after joint replacement. The benefits you can anticipate are numerous, but here are our top seven:

1. Reduced pain

Though you probably had at least some joint pain before joint replacement surgery, you’re not entirely out of the dark just because you’ve left the hospital. Postsurgical pain can be a hurdle during your recovery, but physical therapy helps. 

One reason why physical therapy is so beneficial for postsurgical pain is reduced inflammation. By engaging in physical therapy after joint replacement surgery, you may be able to avoid or limit your use of opioid painkillers, which carry a habit-forming risk. 

2. Improved balance

Balance is crucial for avoiding falls, which can lead to additional injuries and compromise your joint replacement results. While you might not struggle much with balance after an upper extremity joint replacement, you’ll want to work on your balance after knee or hip replacement. You’ll work on strengthening the muscles surrounding your joint to improve the joint’s stability and stay upright. 

3. Improved muscular strength

The muscles and ligaments surrounding your artificial joint need to rebuild and recover their strength so the joint can be functional. Physical therapy involves exercises that target these muscles to rebuild their mass. Strong joints are healthy joints, and with the help of devices like weights and resistance bands, you can ensure your joint builds up to an adequate level of strength and function. 

4. Reduced stiffness

Physical therapy can reduce the stiffness of a recently replaced joint. Early intervention with physical therapy is critical for making your joint mobile and flexible. Plus, mobility exercises help reduce scar tissue development around an artificial joint, ensuring that the joint can move without scar restriction. 

5. Better blood and lymph circulation

Blood and fluid buildup contributes to inflammation. Healthy blood flow nourishes your muscles and tissues for faster and more effective healing. Not only do tissues heal faster with better circulation, but physical therapy also fosters the growth of new blood vessels for better blood supply in the present and future. Additionally, healthy circulation means a lower risk of blood clotting. 

Improving lymph circulation through physical therapy helps you avoid lymphedema, or swelling, around your new joint. 

6. Functional restoration

You can expect at least a couple of months of functional limitation after a major surgery like a joint replacement. You might not be able to walk or run right away after a lower extremity joint replacement, and you might find it challenging to work or reach for items around the house after upper extremity joint replacements. In any case, the Elation Physical Therapy team teaches you hand-selected exercises to help you regain basic function and independence. 

 7. Lower stress

Joint replacement surgery and conditions like arthritis that lead up to it can cause muscular imbalances, which result in increased stress on specific muscles or joints. Post-joint replacement physical therapy restores the balance of your muscles and ligaments, which reduces stress on specific tissues and ultimately lowers your risk of other injuries that impede healing. 

Contact us today

Physical therapy is an absolute necessity after joint replacement surgery if you want your new joint to function comparatively to the original. Call Elation Physical Therapy or schedule a visit online to discuss physical therapy with our team today.