You’ve probably heard of the term rehabilitation. In essence, it is what physiotherapists do! We get you back doing the things you love following an injury or surgery. But did you know that prehabilitation in the lead up to the sporting season or surgery is just as important?
Prehabilitation is a strategy that involves exercise and strength training to improve your functional capacity before you hit the sporting field or go under the knife. This strategy is often employed by sporting clubs during the off-season and pre-season to address strength and movement imbalances in order to prevent injury.
Increasing evidence has shown that people who participate in prehabilitation prior to surgery experience less postoperative pain, improved physical function and decreased length of hospital stay following surgery. Ultimately, this can mean you bounce back quicker!
Particularly for those undergoing joint replacements, exercise and strength training is an important factor in the management of osteoarthritis which is the leading cause for hip and knee replacements. Exercise can help improve joint pain and stiffness associated with osteoarthritis, and can improve your overall quality of life.
Surgery can be very daunting and may leave you with many unanswered questions about the procedure and what is expected in the rehabilitation process following. During the prehabilitation stage, we take the time to educate you on what is expected after your surgery, and work through a specialised exercise program to prepare your body for the rehab process.
If you’d like to find out more about how prehabilitation can help you, come speak to the team at The Physio Clinic.
By Jordan Campbell | Physiotherapist
