Blogs by Topic:
Why Physical therapy or Occupational therapy:
Choose PT First to save time and money
Are you a smart consumer of Healthcare?
Conditions:
Pain relief without medication
What you need to know about arthritis
Your x-rays and MRIs show us the wrinkles on the inside
A new way to Treat Fibromyalgia
Share your goals; they’re important to us!
Back and Neck Pain:
Best way to get rid of back and neck pain
Essential Exercises for Back pain
Can PT help with Headaches/ Migraines?
Can PT help Back Pain? What we learned from Starbucks
Shoulder:
Prevent and Treat Shoulder Pain
Elbow:
Elbow Tendonitis, a.k.a Tennis Elbow
Wrist/ Hand:
Foot/Ankle:
Why Flip Flops may not be your best option
Pelvic Health:
What is Pelvic Health Physical Therapy
How to stay active during pregnancy
Surgery:
Tips & Tricks to Prepare for Surgery
Stronger going into Surgery, Stronger Coming out.
Common Interventions:
Should I be Stretching or Strengthening?
Seasonal:
A PTs Guide to Snow Shoveling Safety
Winter Safety in Industry: Navigating Cold Conditions with Confidence
Finding your balance in winter
Keeping your arms and hands safe in the Winter
Protecting your joints with summer activities
Information for all of our Green Thumbs
Athletics:
Preventing Pickleball Injuries
Could early specialization be the problem?
Concussion:
Everything you need to know about Concussions
Importance of Baseline Concussion Testing
Running:
Return to Running, Spring Edition
Injury Prevention, do shoes matter?
Orchestra and Performing Arts:
Industrial medicine:
Impact of Athletic Trainers in Industrial Care
Lifting Basics Part 1: Warm-ups, Cool-downs, Strengthening
Tactical Medicine:
Return to Work Assessment for an Injured Police Officer
Police Support Staff Person of the Year
Things we learned from participating in a mass-casualty simulation
Office:
Getting more activity during your workday
Decrease Fatigue and Reduce Stiffness
Direct Contracting:
Our role in providing exceptional care to the employees of local School Districts
Wellness:
Importance of physical activity
Why you need a PT on your team
The 4 P’s of Energy Conservation
Hidden Aches and Pains caused by Cell Phones
How to decrease the aches and pains brought on by using your phone
Movement Vital Sign, what is that?
You’re never too old to strength train
Improve your mood with exercise, especially during the holidays
Importance of Building Strength
Meet the Team:
7 Tips and Tricks to prepare for surgery
Whatever journey leads you to the need for orthopedic surgery, we want to make sure you are prepared for a successful recovery.
Most likely, you will have some difficulty moving around after surgery, so do as much as you can beforehand to prepare for post-surgery.
We know you’ll be bombarded with information as you prepare for your orthopedic surgery, so we wanted to keep it simple: Prepare, Practice, Organize.
Here are some Tips and Tricks that we’ve found helpful for our patients:
Arrange meals ahead of time.
While you are recovering, you may not feel up to standing in the kitchen for long periods or going to the store to gather all the ingredients.
This may involve buying frozen meals or preparing meals to freeze beforehand.
Whip up a batch of your favorite homemade soup for a quick warm-up meal after surgery.
Having the premade foods on hand will help provide your body with the nourishment it needs while it recovers.
Get your ice packs lined up.
Swelling and pain are common after surgery. The general rule of thumb is to ice for 15-20 minutes, then remove it for 30-40 minutes, repeating as needed.
Prepare to elevate.
Get extra pillows available to help elevate your limb. Elevating a limb above the level of your heart allows the blood to circulate back to the heart without fighting gravity. The force of gravity will assist with moving the fluid.
You can combine elevating and icing at the same time to especially help with your swelling.
Practice makes perfect part 1.
If you must use an assistive device, such as crutches, a knee scooter, or a walker for mobility after your surgery, PLEASE PRACTICE transferring, walking, and navigating stairs with the assistive device before surgery.
Getting used to these assistive devices can be a balancing act, so practice, practice, practice! Manipulating around your home with an assistive device can also be a bit cumbersome, so practice this before surgery.
You may need to adjust furniture to provide larger pathways, remove throw rugs, add a chair cushion, etc.
Practice makes perfect part 2.
Be aware of any weight-bearing and/or movement restrictions you may have to follow post-surgery. Practice that weight-bearing restriction (i.e., non-weight bearing, partial weight bearing), as it may be more challenging than you imagine.
If there are movement restrictions (e.g., you must keep the knee fully extended and limit the amount of trunk flexion), practice following those restrictions prior to surgery and adjust your home setup as needed.
You may be in an arm sling, so your toilet paper roll needs to be switched to the opposite side.
Little adjustments beforehand will make a huge difference after.
Start your exercises.
If there are any prescribed pre-operative exercises to perform before surgery to help strengthen muscles and improve flexibility, jump on board!
Get into the routine of sticking to an exercise program.
This can aid in post-surgery recovery.
Ask for Help.
Inform your family and friends about your surgery and ask for help, especially during your initial recovery.
Also, ask for assistance with outdoor chores, household cleaning, meal prep, transportation, etc.
Individuals may be more willing to help than you expect, ask!
If you have questions or concerns about your surgery, get them answered beforehand. The more prepared you feel for surgery, the better your outcome may be!
Working through these recommendations with a skilled physical therapist can be very helpful, especially when practicing your restrictions and guiding your exercises. If that interests you, contact us today, and we will help set you up for success.
If therapy is part of your recovery, please contact Advanced Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine. We will be happy to guide you back to an active lifestyle!
Happy Recovery!
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Dr. Laura Johnson is a physical therapist at our Appleton North Clinic on Enterprise Dr. and Touchmark Clinic on Touchmark Dr. She is a post-surgical physical therapist specialist and certified in LSVT-BIG to help people with Parkinson’s thrive.