It’s common to hear from health care professionals that the recovery process from surgery is just as important as the procedure itself. This is especially true of any type of knee surgery. No matter how minimally invasive the operation is, there is still significant healing that needs to occur. Additionally, patients will typically need to retrain themselves to function properly — particularly if an injury has altered your posture and movement for a long period of time. 

Physical therapy is a critical part of proper recovery after knee surgery and can play a critical role in ensuring a positive outcome. The flip side of this is that skipping a physical therapy program can increase the risk of issues, even if you had a successful procedure.

To help you understand how important physical therapy after knee surgery is, we’ve prepared the following helpful overview. We invite you to contact us if you have any questions or want to learn more as you read this over. 

Why you shouldn’t skip physical therapy after knee surgery

The goal of physical therapy as post-surgical rehabilitation is to promote the healing process and help patients regain functioning. This is accomplished with strengthening exercises, posture and movement training, manual therapies to help mobilize soft tissue and other targeted techniques. 

Here are some of the negative consequences that can potentially occur in patients recovering from knee surgery who don’t continue on with physical therapy: 

• Supporting muscles and soft tissue can begin to atrophy due to nonuse and swelling.
• Increased strain can be put on the knee from improper movement. 
• Range of motion can be diminished.
• The healing process can be slowed down due to lack of blood flow to the area.

While other factors play a role in the recovery process — including following your post-operative instructions, getting regular low-impact exercise and eating a nutritious diet — physical therapy plays an absolutely essential role. 

Post-operative recovery expertise with Franklin Rehabilitation

Whether you’re planning to have a procedure performed or are already recovering, the caring and experienced team of clinicians at Franklin Rehab can help you in the knee surgery recovery process. We’ll provide a personalized assessment and help you develop a treatment plan that is right for your needs and lifestyle. 

To learn more and schedule your initial appointment, contact our team today.