Rehab at Home Following Hip and Knee Replacement
Joint replacement surgeries, particularly knee and hip replacements, are common procedures performed to alleviate pain. In Australia, around three in every thousand people undergo these surgeries. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in many of these scheduled surgeries being cancelled, leading to patients having to wait longer for their surgeries than clinically recommended and causing a back log of surgeries.
Recent research has shown that receiving physiotherapy at home can be just as effective as receiving it in a clinic or in an inpatient rehabilitation setting. While outcomes may vary based on individual factors and medical conditions, the ability to bend your knee, walk, climb stairs, and return to your normal routine can all be achieved to the same degree with home rehabilitation under the supervision of a physiotherapist.
One of the primary benefits of home-based physiotherapy is that it eliminates the need to travel to appointments, which can be particularly beneficial for individuals who have physical disabilities, lack social support, or have financial difficulties. Home-based appointments can save time and organisation, helping patients get back to their normal routine faster.
Physiotherapists are experts in prescribing exercises and progressing rehabilitation, and assisting you through your post operative journey. Physiotherapists can also recommend the correct walking aids and equipment you might need at home whilst in the early stages of rehabilitation.
If you’ve recently undergone joint replacement surgery or have been clinically deemed ready for it, you may be looking for ways to maximise your rehabilitation. Here are five things you can implement to aid in your rehabilitation process:
- Home environment: Make sure your home environment is equipped to handle your daily tasks safely and with less difficulty. This might mean purchasing some simple equipment such as a shower chair or walking aid.
- Exercise plan: Follow a home exercise plan prescribed by your physiotherapist to aid in your recovery. Exercise programs should be specific to the individual and one rehabilitation program will differ from another. Exercise programs should also be progressed on a regular basis.
- Analgesia: Use pain relief medication as prescribed by your doctor to help with pain relief and to be able to do exercises. It is important to be compliant with pain medication and not try to “take the pain”. The old saying of “no pain no gain” is not necessarily true! Your pain levels should be respected and excessive pain is not good for your rehabilitation.
- Swelling management. After joint replacement surgery there is often a lot of swelling, especially in the first few weeks. Adopt a swelling management plan and modify activities to ensure the swelling is well controlled.
- Be kind to yourself. The first 6 weeks following joint replacement surgery can be very difficult. Do not book in any social events that involve you having to travel too far. Have friends and family come to see you and organise some extra help with domestic tasks.
In summary, hip and knee replacements are very common among Australians. Physiotherapists play a big part in your recovery post-surgery and often the profession that you will see the most once the surgery is done. Recent research has shown that home-based rehabilitation is just as effective as clinic-based rehabilitation, making it an option that should be encouraged. Make sure to get in touch with your physiotherapist to ensure that your rehabilitation is successful and you get the most out of your new joint!
