Physical Therapy Before Surgery Reduces Costs and Care Needs

Most patients assume they only need physical therapy after surgery. But a new study in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery reveals that one or two sessions of prehabilitation (physical therapy before surgery) can reduce postoperative care use by 29% for patients undergoing total hip or knee replacement, saving $1215 per patient.

According to new research, the main benefit of prehabilitation is that in just one or two sessions patients are more prepared for postoperative physical therapy. These sessions can include patient training on walking devices (such as a walker or cane), planning for recovery, and managing patient expectations.

To find out more about the physical therapy team at Texas Orthopedics visit their website

http://www.austintxphysicaltherapy.com/. 

Keep up with Texas Orthopedics news by following us on Facebook and Twitter (@TexasOrthopedic).

Celebrating World Physical Therapy Day Today!

World Physical Therapy Day is today and is all about recognizing the great contributions that physical therapists make to keep people well, mobile and independent. We have a great team of physical therapists, occupational therapists, and hand therapists that do a fantastic job (check out their profiles here). 

They perform comprehensive evaluations and develop specific treatment plans so that each patient can resume their favorite activities as quickly, safely, and independently as possible. By doing physical therapist you will learn exercises that are beneficial for gaining function, reducing stress, relieving discomfort, and preventing disability for future injury. 

Just some of the conditions we treat include, 

• Arthritis
• Low Back Pain
• Neck Pain
• Sprains and Strains
• Tendonitis
• Plantar Fasciitis
• Tennis Elbow
• Hamstring Muscle Injuries
• Shoulder Impingement Syndrome
• Hand and Wrist Pain

And we offer a wide variety of physical therapy services to treat these conditions including, 

• Core Stability Training
• Exercise Therapy
• Hand Therapy and Custom Splints
• Joint Rehabilitation 
• Neuromuscular Re-education
• Pre/Post-Surgical Rehab
• Progressive Strengthening
• Sports Medicine

You can find a complete list of conditions and services here. And keep up with Texas Orthopedics news by following us on Facebook and Twitter (@TexasOrthopedic). 

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears: An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure

Post provided by Scott Smith, MD

I saw my first surgical reconstruction of a ruptured ACL in 1981. I began studying ACL's in 1991. I performed my first ACL reconstruction in 1992. Since starting my practice in Austin in 1996 I have performed over 400 primary recontructions. The essential techniques remain basically unchanged. A graft of some sort is strung through the knee to "reconstruct" the anterior cruciate ligament. This process takes roughly six months to form a "new" ligament.

Wouldn't it be easier to just not have an ACL tear? YES! Prevention is worth a pound of cure. Until recently no one really considered that prevention was possible. It may not be. This point is argued in multiple disciplines: orthopedic surgery, physical therapy, sports medicine. No one knows. What is state of the art in 2010 is core training, jump training, hamstring fitness, proprioception improvement and flexibility.

Every orthopedic surgeon knows that anterior cruciate ligaments fail more frequently in female competitors. Why remains a mystery that is discussed wherever knees are contemplated. Do women jump differently? Do they land funny or have too straight a knee at contact? Do hormones play a role? All valid questions without certain answers.

There are many theories and lots of reseach being done. No conclusive findings regarding the difference between men and women have been found yet. There are many prevention strategies also with unproven results. I feel that there probably is some protection provided by these programs. I am also sure that athletic performance is enhanced by improved muscle strength and flexibility. I have been using these techniques with the teams that I coach for the last six years. I can't say that I've prevented any tears but we haven't had any. I continue to look for more effective proven regimens and solutions.