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Sports injuries and surgery
Physical therapy before and after surgery in Shirley, MA
The short answer
Recovery after orthopedic surgery depends a lot on how strong you are going in and how well you rebuild coming out. Pain, swelling, stiffness and weakness are normal after surgery and usually improve with a steady rehab plan. Physical therapy before surgery, often called prehab, and after surgery helps most people get their strength, motion and confidence back.
On this page
What makes surgery recovery harder
Knee, hip, shoulder, spine, foot and ankle surgeries all ask a lot of your body. These are the most common things that slow recovery down.
- Going in weak or stiff
- If the joint was already weak or stiff before surgery, it usually takes longer to bounce back afterward.
- Swelling and pain
- Normal after surgery, but if they are not managed well they make it hard to move and to do your exercises.
- Muscles that shut off
- After surgery, the muscles around the joint often stop firing well, like the thigh muscle after knee surgery.
- Stiffness from not moving
- Joints that are not moved enough in the early weeks can get stiff, which makes everything harder later.
- Doing too much, or too little
- Pushing past the healing timeline can set you back. Being too cautious can leave you weak and stiff.
When to get it checked
Start physical therapy when your surgeon says it is time. For many surgeries that is within the first few days or weeks. Call your surgeon if pain is getting worse instead of better, or if you are losing motion. Call your surgeon or go to the emergency room right away if you have a fever or chills, redness, warmth or drainage from the incision, calf pain or swelling in one leg, chest pain, or sudden shortness of breath.
What you can do at home right now
These are safe starting points for most people. They are not a replacement for a proper evaluation.
- Follow your surgeon's rules
- Weight bearing limits, slings and braces protect the repair. Stick to them until your surgeon or physical therapist says otherwise.
- Move what you are allowed to move
- Gentle motion, ankle pumps and short walks around the house help with swelling, stiffness and circulation.
- Get ready before surgery
- If surgery is still ahead, build strength in the muscles around the joint and set up your home so it is easier to get around afterward.
How we help you before and after surgery at Whole Health Solutions
Your physical therapist is with you for the whole appointment, start to finish. We work with your surgeon's plan and guide you through each stage, from getting ready for surgery to getting back to everything you love.
01
Relieve
Calm pain and swelling, protect the repair, and get the joint moving safely in the early days with hands on care and gentle exercise.
02
Rebuild
Restore motion and strength step by step, and get back to walking, reaching, stairs and daily life with confidence.
03
Perform
Back to work, the gym, hiking or your sport, with a plan to keep you strong for the long run. When you are ready, our personal trainers and athletic performance coaches pick up where therapy leaves off.
04
Thrive
Stay with the team that knows you. Check ins, training and a quick tune up whenever something new comes up, so this stays in the past.
Thrive is not a finish line. When life brings something new, the loop starts again with the same team.
Learn from our team
Short, free videos from our clinicians on questions we hear about before and after surgery all the time.
Read more from our team
Blog posts and newsletter tips from our clinicians that go with before and after surgery.
Hear it from a client
Amy on getting past a year of feeling stuck after surgery.
Read what Amy said
Amy, "How were you feeling back then?" I was pretty frustrated. It had been about a year since my surgery. I went to physical therapy as prescribed right after, but I didn't, I didn't really embrace it as a full body, thing. ran out of sessions to do, at the physical therapist and, then got busy with life and felt like, I was sort of in a rut. I didn't feel like I could continue doing or progress in doing any of the activities that I really like to do.
★★★★★
"I continued to work with Alicia leading up to my surgery making my recovery much faster."
Talk to a physical therapist
A free call to tell us what is going on and see if we are the right fit.
Common questions about before and after surgery
Does physical therapy before surgery help?
Yes. Prehab builds strength and motion before surgery, and research shows people who go in stronger often recover faster and more smoothly afterward.
When should I start physical therapy after surgery?
It depends on the surgery and your surgeon's plan. Many people start within the first few days or weeks. Your surgeon will tell you when, and we follow their guidelines.
Is it normal to have pain during recovery after surgery?
Some pain, swelling and stiffness is normal, and it should slowly get better over time. Pain that is getting worse, or signs of infection or a blood clot, need a call to your surgeon right away.
Do I need a referral for physical therapy after surgery?
No. You can book directly with us. Most of our clients do use their insurance for reimbursement of our physical therapy services. We go over everything in the discovery meeting.
This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Everyone is different, so the best next step is an evaluation with one of our physical therapists.
Visit us
Serving 22+ nearby towns and beyond
2 Shaker Road, Suite C200, Shirley, MA 01464. Monday to Thursday, 5:00 am to 8:00 pm, Friday, 5:00 am to 3:00 pm, and Saturday, 6:00 am to 1:00 pm.