Prehab Before A Procedure is the SMART Choice!
Recovery from a procedure can be rough, but whether it be a knee, hip, shoulder, back or other surgery, preparing your body ahead of time will make surgery and post-surgery much better.
“Prehab” is the process of preparing your body for a successful surgery and recovery. Prehabing can save valuable time and money with fewer trips to the doctor or therapist, fewer medications, and less time until you get your life back!
We tend to do less when awaiting a procedure because activity may cause discomfort, but studies show that the right program helps with the duration, pain levels, and speed of recovery. According to Sam Becourtney DPT, in New York, NY, a safe and specifically designed program just for you can increase blood flow to the affected area which will promote healing. Conversely, not exercising can limit blood flow to the injured area, causing the muscles to tighten and weaken. This can also make it harder to regain your strength and range of motion post surgery. When we are sedentary, we don’t receive that release of feel-good endorphins we get during and after exercise,” he says. With fewer of these pain-relieving chemicals circulating around our bodies, our injuries may feel even more painful.”
Halting your exercise routine affects more than just the site of your injury. “One of the biggest mistakes folks make when they injure a body part is to completely rest their full body — their heart, lungs, and brain. This is like getting one flat tire and slashing the other three,” says Nick Occhipinti, a chiropractor and strength coach based in New Jersey.
A University of Michigan study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons involving pre-surgery “training” looked at more than 500 people with Medicare in Michigan. The prehab group was compared with more than a thousand people who had the same operations and didn’t do any prehabilitation. The prehab individuals benefited from: • Shorter hospital stays • An increased ability to go home directly after surgery • Reduced costs for therapy and after care
These studies also show that seniors who prehab have a more positive feeling of wellbeing before and after surgery. People were better able to cope with the added stress associated with surgery. In fact, researchers believe everyone should prepare this way for major surgery, likening the process to preparing for a 5K race. Previous research involving prehab suggests seniors may also enjoy lower rates of postoperative complications and the ability to return to normal functioning sooner.
So if you have a procedure in your future, see one of our fitness professionals so we can design a prehab program just for you. It will be worth it!
~Michelle