Physical therapy covers a wide range of services involving almost all parts of the human body. One of the most common services being offered by physical therapists near Swarthmore, Pennsylvania is rehabilitation after a knee surgery.
There are several factors which may cause knee pain such as arthritis, accidents, sports injuries and joint diseases. Lengthy stress on the knees can result to chronic pain which can end in surgery. The rehabilitation program may vary according to the type of surgery. This article focuses on how physical therapy near Swarthmore, Pennsylvania can help hasten the recovery of patients after knee surgery.
Physical therapy near Swarthmore, Pennsylvania can help in pain management and the restoration of functions of patients who have undergone knee surgery.
What patients can expect from the post-surgical rehabilitation program of physical therapy near Swarthmore, Pennsylvania?
The aim of every physical therapy rehabilitation program is to help patients return to their normal activities before surgical through a combination of exercises and therapies. The treatment plan has the following objectives:
- Reduce knee pain
- Restore knee function, strength and flexibility
- Improve range of motion of the knee
- Patients would gain independence
- Avoid recurrence of knee pain and future injuries
Knee surgery can be avoided by getting treatment from experts of physical therapy near Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Physical therapists are professional health care providers with extensive training which can design the right rehabilitation program for patients who have undergone knee surgery.
Physical therapy near Swarthmore, Pennsylvania can hasten recovery through exercises only if patients perform them on a regular basis. These exercises include:
- Stretching exercises aimed at relaxing the anterior part of the leg
- Isometric strengthening exercises that strengthen the knee by muscle contraction
- Hip extension exercises with the purpose of strengthening the gluteal muscles
- Quadricep strengthening exercises to strengthen the quadricep which is the most important knee muscle that helps in the correct positioning of the knee cap.
Physical therapy near Swarthmore, Pennsylvania also utilizes ice and heat application before doing the exercises. Heat and cold are alternately applied to relieve pain. Cold packs may hurt the skin if applied directly so care is taken by keeping a towel between the cold pack and the skin. This reduces the swelling. Heat packs, on the other hand, dilate the blood vessels thus resulting to increased blood flow and relaxation of tensed muscles.
