Undergoing a major surgery can have a huge impact on your life for weeks afterward. Depending on the type of surgery you have, you may need to relearn how to perform a variety of everyday functional tasks. Even with surgery that doesn't involve your legs, you will be required to learn how to get out of bed, go from sit to stand, and walk again. This is where physical therapy comes in. Physical therapy is a vital part of rehabilitation after major surgery, and it can help you to recover quicker, lower your risk of complications, and prevent falling.
How physical therapy can help after major surgery
1) Getting out of bed
The goal of physical therapy is to improve your function and your mobility, reduce your pain, and improve your quality of life. After surgery, these goals become even more important. You will first meet a physical therapist either the day of your surgery or the next morning. Their first goal is to help you sit up and get out of bed. This is a vital first step to your recovery. A physical therapist will help you to perform this movement until you can do it safely yourself.
2) Improving lung function
One often-overlooked area after major surgery is your breathing. General anesthetic can affect your lung function and coupled with your pain, can make it difficult for you to breathe deeply and/or to cough. Performing these actions is very important after major surgery because they help to clear phlegm which, if left in your lungs, could lead to a lung infection such as pneumonia. A physical therapist can give you breathing exercises that will make taking a deep breath and coughing more effective.
3) Walking
Once you can sit up and get out of bed safely, the next goal of your rehabilitation is to be able to walk. As with getting out of bed, a physical therapist will help you until you are able to walk safely on your own. Walking is emphasized as an important milestone after major surgery and there will be a big focus on getting you to that stage. This is for a few different reasons, including:
- it helps you regain your independence
- it lowers your risk of developing lung, or urinary tract infections
- it decreases your risk of blood clots
- it improves your strength & stamina
4) Relearning everyday tasks
Everyone's needs will vary after major surgery, but physical therapy can help you to relearn how to perform everyday tasks that may have been impacted by your surgery. For example, it can help you to relearn how to climb the stairs, get up from a chair, get in and out of a car, get dressed, & bathe yourself,
5) Aftercare
Physical therapy doesn't stop once you leave the hospital. Once you can safely get in and out of bed and walk, you will either be discharged to a rehab hospital, proceed home & receive home health PT, or you will make appointments to continue with outpatient physical therapy sessions.
Physical therapy is an important part of recovery and rehabilitation after major surgery. A physical therapist can help you to start moving around again, to walk, and to perform everyday tasks. It can also lower your risk of infection and blood clots, reduce your pain, and improve your strength.