01About Post Operative Physiotherapy Rehab
Post-operative physiotherapy helps you regain movement, strength, balance and independence after orthopaedic surgery. Each operation has its own healing timeline and precautions, and each surgeon may use a slightly different protocol.
Our role is to apply your surgeon’s guidance safely, monitor how you are progressing, and adjust the exercise plan to your individual recovery – always within the limits set by your surgical team.
02What this service covers
- Knee replacement rehabilitation
- Hip replacement rehabilitation
- ACL surgery rehabilitation
- Fracture rehabilitation
- Shoulder surgery rehabilitation
- Meniscus repair rehab
- Mobility exercises
- Progressive strength training
- Functional recovery
03Common challenges after surgery
- Stiffness and difficulty bending or straightening the joint
- Muscle weakness and fatigue
- Swelling and post-operative pain
- Worry about doing too much – or too little
- Difficulty with walking, stairs, getting in and out of a car, or self-care
04How a physiotherapy assessment helps
Your assessment with Dr. Pankaj B. LokhandeBPTh, MPTh (Ortho & Sports), PhD Scholar (MUHS)
Please bring your discharge summary and any written protocol or restrictions from your surgeon. We check the surgical site appearance, swelling, range of motion, strength, walking pattern and use of walking aids.
We then agree goals for the coming weeks – for example, walking without a frame, managing stairs, or returning to driving once your surgeon permits it.
- Weight-bearing status (how much weight you are allowed to put through the leg)
- Movement restrictions, such as hip precautions or shoulder sling time
- Timing for starting strengthening and returning to activities
05Rehabilitation approaches we may use
Early mobility
Gentle, permitted range-of-motion exercises to reduce stiffness.
Swelling management
Positioning, ice (where advised), compression and graded activity.
Walking re-education
Safe use and gradual weaning from walking aids.
Progressive strengthening
Building strength in stages, aligned with tissue healing.
Balance and confidence
Exercises to restore steadiness and reduce fall risk.
Return to function
Practising daily tasks, work demands and, later, sport or exercise.
Your plan is chosen after assessment. Not every approach listed here is suitable for every person.
06Who may benefit
- Patients after total knee or hip replacement
- Athletes after ACL reconstruction or meniscus repair
- People recovering from fracture fixation
- Patients after rotator cuff repair or shoulder stabilisation
07Safety precautions
- Your surgeon’s specific instructions always take priority. If anything we suggest seems to conflict with them, we will check before proceeding.
- Report increasing wound redness, discharge or fever immediately.
- Pain medication should be taken as prescribed by your doctor; we do not prescribe or adjust medicines.
- Recovery timelines vary by procedure, age, general health and individual healing.
08When to see a doctor first
- Fever, increasing redness, warmth or discharge from the wound
- Calf pain, swelling or tenderness, or sudden breathlessness or chest pain
- A sudden increase in pain, a “clunk”, or the joint looking out of place
- New numbness or weakness in the operated limb
09Frequently asked questions
When should physiotherapy start after surgery?
Many operations involve some physiotherapy from the first day or two after surgery, often in hospital. Outpatient sessions usually begin after discharge. Your surgeon will advise on timing.
Can you follow my surgeon’s protocol?
Yes. Please bring any written instructions. If something is unclear, we will seek clarification rather than guess.
Is it normal to have pain during rehab?
Some discomfort is expected as you regain movement. We will explain what is acceptable and adjust the plan if pain is too high or lasts too long.
Do you offer home visits?
Please contact the clinic to ask about current availability for home visits in the early stages after surgery.
FURTHER READING
This page provides general information and is not a diagnosis or a substitute for an individual assessment. Recovery varies from person to person. See our medical disclaimer.
