What is Pre-Surgical Rehabilitation?

The procedures for which prehabilitation applies range from back or shoulder surgery to joint replacements and tendon or ligament repair. Additionally, the often long wait for some surgeries can create a deterioration of some conditions, which can be lessened with prehabilitation. Studies have proven that patients who undergo successful prehabilitation demonstrate a greater percentage of strength gain, lower pain levels, more rapid improvement, shorter recovery times, less dependence on caregivers and more rapid return to regular activities. In addition, studies also indicate that because patients have been conditioned to better undergo the stressors of the surgery in prehabilitation, they experience decreased time in post-operative physical therapy programs.