Depending on the severity of the injury and the type of surgery, as well as other factors like age and activity level, you may need to participate in a formal rehabilitation program to regain strength and flexibility after your orthopedic surgery.

Rehabilitation often takes three forms: physical therapy to increase your strength, mobility and fitness; occupational therapy to help you perform day-to-day activities; and pain management to decrease discomfort while performing rehabilitation exercises and when at rest.

Rehabilitation plans are as aggressive as possible without risking injury or damage. In most cases, physical therapy will be initiated within 24 hours of the procedure and may continue for up to three months following surgery. The length of time that a patient may require rehabilitative care depends on a number of factors, like the severity of the injury and the patients work rate. If the patient is reluctant to build strength and motion, rehabilitation can take time and might jeopardize the patient’s ability to fully recover.

While all forms of rehabilitation are important, many patients feel that physical therapy is the most challenging. Thankfully, it is also the most rewarding. Regaining strength, mobility, and fitness can indeed be difficult, but Dr. Millstein is very knowledgabe about physical therapy practices, and will help you find the best therapist for your unique needs.

All of the exercises prescribed are progressive in nature. This gradual improvement is important, as failure to improve in both strength and flexibility may cause continued weakness and inability to fully function. If you overdo the rehabilitation exercises in hopes of making a quicker recovery, you may cause unnecessary stress on the repaired anatomy. Sometimes, pushing too hard can cause delays in recovery. It may also compromise the surgical repair, which definitely is more concerning.

Our team will help ensure that your recovery will proceed according to schedule by letting you know when you can extend your efforts. If you follow the prescribed rehabilitation plan, combined with proper rest and an overall sound approach to healthy living, your post-operative quality of life will be optimized.

If you would like to know more about the importance of rehabilitation, or if you are suffering from an orthopedic injury and would like to be treated, schedule a consultation with Beverly Hills orthopedic surgeon Dr. Millstein by calling (310) 595-1030 today!