Pre and Post-surgical rehabilitation is extremely important in order to maximize your surgical outcomes. If you are a candidate for orthopedic surgery, pre-surgical rehabilitation can be extremely beneficial to strengthen the support muscle groups around the joint/body part to be operated on. Pre-surgical physical therapy is important especially for arthroscopic or spinal surgery to improve post-surgical outcomes.
Post Surgical Rehabilitation Therapy

What to expect with Post Surgical Rehab?
At Pick PT, our therapists will create a pre-operative rehabilitation program to help prepare you for surgery and make it easier to transition into a rehabilitation program after surgery.
Pre-surgical rehabilitation:
The goals of our pre-surgical rehabilitation program include, but are not limited to:
- Improve strength and ROM in and around the area of surgery to aid in a quicker recovery
- Decrease pain and inflammation
- Educate you on what to expect before/after surgery in order to be mentally prepared
- Educate on a post-operative program and what to expect
- Improve overall well-being and fitness in order to be in the best shape possible prior to surgery
Improving strength, ROM, and function prior to surgery will improve your overall outcome after surgery and assist you in a quicker recovery.
Post-surgical Rehabilitation:
After surgery, your orthopedic surgeon will recommend physical therapy to expedite your recovery and facilitate a successful outcome. Occasionally, you may start physical therapy the same day or a few days later depending on the procedure. In certain instances, immobilization of the body part is required in order to allow time for pain and inflammation to subside.
Post-operative rehabilitation will help you manage post-operative pain, regain range of motion and strength, and return to daily activities quicker. Interventions will be similar to pre-operative techniques and will involve greater progressions in order to help you return to your pre-operative physical state.
What Causes the Condition
In some cases, surgery can be avoided with conservative treatment such as physical therapy. Sometimes conservative treatment isn’t enough and surgery is required to address the underlying issue. In this situation, your orthopedic surgeon and physical therapist will work closely to ensure you achieve optimal outcomes. Common surgical procedures we see post-operatively include, but are not limited to:
- Total Hip Arthroplasty
- Total Knee Arthroplasty
- Total Shoulder Arthroplasty
- Full/Partial Ankle fusion
- ACL Reconstruction
- Spinal fusion
- Spinal decompression surgery
- Joint arthroscopic procedures
What Pick PT Does to Help
Anyone can understand the importance of Physical Therapy AFTER surgery, but it may be a little more difficult to see why you need physical therapy BEFORE surgery. At Pick PT, our clinicians take time to ensure you are prepared both mentally and physically before going under the knife. Occasionally, pre-operative physical therapy may prevent surgery altogether, resulting in quicker recovery times and reduces costs in the long run. If you do still require surgery to fix the issue, our clinicians follow evidence based protocols and work closely with your surgeon to ensure a safe and quick recovery. No matter the case, we go above and beyond to help return you to being you and living your life moving.
Surgical Rehabilitation FAQs
If I know I need surgery, why do I need Physical Therapy first?
How many sessions of Physical Therapy will I need pre-operatively?
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Rexburg
160 W 2nd S #1
Rexburg, ID 83440
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Idaho Falls, ID 83401
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921 S Utah Ave
Idaho Falls, ID 83401
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Tues & Thurs 8am-12pm
3155 Channing Way D
Idaho Falls, ID 83404
Mon, Wed, & Fri 7am-6pm
Tues & Thurs 8am-12pm