Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
After surgery or a traumatic, degenerative or over-use injury to a bone, muscle, joint, ligament or tendon, you need to recover flexibility, mobility, and strength.
Absent a medical emergency and depending upon the nature of the problem, your orthopedic physician or surgeon may recommend a course of physical therapy to help you recover more quickly and improve function.
Physical therapy as a profession is responsible for restoring function and improving your quality of life in the home and community. Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who specialize in orthopedic medicine, such as those who work with the orthopedic surgeons at Orthopedic Specialists of SW Florida, are especially well-suited to guide you through the recovery process.
Moving Forward
While there are many different techniques, one of the most important steps in the healing process is to get you moving again as soon as possible.
When patients experience an orthopedic injury, key elements of their musculoskeletal system are disrupted, which can result in pain and ultimately limit their ability to perform even basic daily tasks.
Much of the physical therapy we prescribe is targeted at “re-balancing” your musculoskeletal system to help you better perform functions that matter to you.
We always look at the most conservative treatment available to help our patients. That may include medications, injections, splinting and physical or occupational therapy. Only then do we consider other options such as surgery.
Taking that First Step
Your physical therapist will perform a comprehensive evaluation and get the most detailed information available on the underlying cause of your presenting complaint. It’s also important to hear, in your words how your problem impacts your daily life.
Your physical therapist will then develop a treatment plan based on these findings, which will be modified as you respond to treatment. This usually consists of specific exercises, hands-on manual treatments, and the control of inflammation and pain.
Physical therapy is discontinued once a) your goals have been met; b) you have reached a plateau or the maximum medical improvement; or c) your condition does not improve. Typically, you will go back to see your Orthopedic physicians or surgeon after finishing a course of treatment, so further care plans may be developed if necessary.
For patients who undergo orthopedic surgery, it’s highly likely physical therapy will be a part of your post-operative recovery. Physical therapy also has its place before a major orthopedic surgery such as hip and knee replacements.
Once we’ve “fixed” your issue surgically, your physical therapist will help ensure you are progressing as expected while protecting the healing process.
Orthopedic Specialists of SW Florida strives to provide exceptional quality of care to patients with musculoskeletal needs. Our staff of fellowship-trained physicians remains at the forefront of orthopedic medicine, and serves as an educational resource for the Southwest Florida community.
Orthopedic Specialists of SW Florida
239-334-7000 | www.osswf.com
2531 Cleveland Avenue, Suite 1
Fort Myers, FL 33901
