Pre-Surgery Tips: 4 Most Important Things to Know Before Your Surgery

15 April 2020Physical Therapy


Facing surgery may cause a lot of nervousness and anxiety. However, at the end of the day, surgery allows patients to go back to their daily lives with less pain than before. Oftentimes people overlook just how important preparing your body for surgery can be and that prehab is just as important as post-surgery rehab. 

At F.I.T. Muscle & Joint Clinic, we focus on helping our patients feel better every day, including guiding them through the surgery process with our pre-surgery tips. For more information, keep reading for the most important things you should know before your surgery. 

1. You should seek professional advice for your questions

Physical therapy prior to surgery, or prehab, is often overlooked but holds many benefits, ensuring you are back to doing what you love better than before. Physical therapists see many patients and will likely have experience with the surgery you are about to undergo. As a result, they can clarify any questions and/or concerns you may have and offer pre-surgery tips to ease anxiety before the procedure. 

We highly recommend seeking out the advice and guidance of a PT along with talking to your surgeon. This route is much better than consulting Google or other online sources to answer questions. 

2. Recovery is typically faster and easier if you build strength beforehand

Your physical therapist will provide exercises to perform before your surgery to increase strength or range of motion. These will likely be similar exercises to those you will be performing after surgery. Movement allows you to maintain or even gain strength and range of motion prior to surgery, which can allow for better post-surgical rehab and getting you back to doing what you like to do with greater ease. 

Surgery is meant to fix the structural components. However, if range of motion and strength are lacking prior to surgery, it is going to be more difficult to gain after. F.I.T Muscle and Joint Clinic specializes in various techniques, such as dry needling and instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, which when coupled with exercise, can help maximize motion, strength, and control in that new range. 

3. Pain is normal and expected after surgery

Although prehab can lead to a smoother transition back to activity following surgery, it is important to remember that pain is normal and an expected part of the healing process. However, it  should be kept within a manageable range that does not linger.

4. Nutrition plays a huge role in recovery

Along with exercise, it is important to create an environment that will allow for healing. Eating nutrient dense foods and making sure you are adequately hydrated can contribute to more efficient tissue healing. Steps towards effective healing and rehab should start prior to the day of surgery, and F.I.T has the necessary tools to assist you along this process. 

Learn more pre-surgery tips with  F.I.T. Muscle & Joint Clinic

If you’re in the Kansas City area, our expert team of physical therapists is here to help you maneuver through your surgical journey. We work with doctors and surgeons in the area to make sure you get the best continued care possible. 

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