Elective surgeries have been cancelled in Australia. This means no knee replacements, no hip replacements, no knee scopes, so shoulder acromioplasties, no rotator cuff repairs and no ankle stabilisations – just to name a few of the most common elective surgeries. And, we don’t know for how long. This is unbelievably frustrating for people who have had surgery planned. I’ve got patients in pain, who have been waiting for surgery so they can get back to work and play. If you’re one of these people, I know you just want to be able to get back to doing the things you enjoy.
Stay with me here – I’m about to blow your mind. Having your elective surgery cancelled – this can be a very good thing! Let me tell you why…
So, most of the time, we see people after their orthopaedic surgery, which is actually not ideal.
If you need orthopaedic surgery, the chances are you’ve had an injury or your problem for a while Which means you will have been limping, offloading, avoiding movement. This results in stiffness in your affected joint, muscle wasting and weakness in the muscles around the joint. This then compounds the issue – without the muscular support around the problem joint, there is more load on the joint, which can make your pain worse. As well as this, the stiffer and weaker the area is, the harder and longer your post-op rehabilitation will take. That’s right – it will be harder, and the outcome may not be as good.
If you or someone you know is in this situation, comment below with “that’s me” or tag your friend in the comments. I’ll respond personally and see how we can help you or your friend.
Here’s the good news. Now you have the chance to pre-hab – that means rehabilitate before your surgery. So you’ll be able to prepare now, before your surgery, which will result in better management of your pain now, improved strength, range of movement and function now. But importantly, this will mean an easier and quicker recovery and a better outcome. See, the stronger you are beforehand, the more joint movement you have and the more familiar you are with your exercises, the easier it will be after and you will get a better result. In fact, some people will find they can put off their surgery for a lot longer, or do so well with pre-hab they can cancel their surgery altogether.
Don’t believe me? Surgeon’s agree with this. A top Australian orthopaedic surgeon says the same thing. Surgeon’s prefer patients to do a minimum of 12 weeks of pre-hab before most surgeries. Studies have shown that this can lead to a better outcome, and sometimes a full recovery without going on to have the surgery, especially with shoulders and knees. Studies have even shown that certain surgeries result in the same outcome as fake surgeries, or physiotherapy without surgery.
So, if you’ve had your elective orthopaedic surgery cancelled, don’t waste this opportunity. You can start pre-hab now and reap the rewards.
Comment below “that’s me” or private message me, and I’ll answer any of your questions personally and help you get started.
