Preparing for surgery can be a daunting experience, but did you know that taking proactive steps to prepare your body beforehand can significantly impact your recovery outcomes? Enter prehabilitation—a specialised program designed to help enhance your physical health and fitness before undergoing surgery. In this blog, we’ll explore the concept of prehabilitation, its importance in enhancing surgical outcomes, and how our clinic in Broadmeadow, Newcastle, offers pre-surgery programs to help you prepare for a smoother recovery journey.
Understanding Prehabilitation
Prehabilitation, also known as prehab, involves undergoing targeted exercises, lifestyle modifications, and education sessions to improve your physical and mental well-being before surgery. Unlike traditional rehabilitation, which focuses on recovery after surgery, prehabilitation aims to optimise your body’s condition prior to the procedure, leading to better surgical outcomes and faster recovery times.
The Importance of Prehabilitation
- Enhanced Surgical Outcomes: Research has shown that patients who undergo prehabilitation before surgery experience reduced postoperative complications, shorter hospital stays, and faster return to normal activities compared to those who do not participate in prehabilitation programs.
- Improved Physical Fitness: Prehabilitation helps strengthen your muscles, improve cardiovascular health, and mobility, all of which are essential for a successful surgery and recovery process. By starting from a position of strength, you’ll be better equipped to withstand the physical demands of surgery and rehabilitation.
- Reduced Anxiety and Stress: Facing surgery can be stressful, but prehabilitation provides an opportunity to reduce anxiety by empowering you with knowledge, skills, and confidence in your body’s ability to cope with the upcoming procedure.
Pre-Surgery Programs
At Transcend Health, we offer specialised prehabilitation programs tailored to meet the unique needs of each person. Our multidisciplinary team of physiotherapists and exercise physiologists, work together to develop your personalised pre-surgery plans that address specific health concerns you may have, surgical requirements, and individual goals for before and after your surgery.
Key Components of Prehabilitation Programs
- Assessment and Goal Setting: During your initial consult we will perform assessments to evaluate your current physical condition, identify areas of strength and improvement, and establish realistic goals for your prehabilitation journey.
- Exercise Prescription: Based on your assessment results and surgical requirements, we prescribe targeted exercises and discuss physical activities to help improve strength, cardiovascular fitness, and functional mobility. These exercises are designed to strengthen the muscles around the joint undergoing surgery, helping to build resilience and readiness for a hopefully smooth recovery.
- Education and Support: We believe in empowering our patients with knowledge and understanding of their surgical procedures, potential risks, and rehabilitation expectations. Through our sessions, whether it’s in one-on-one consultations, or in SG-Movit! (our classes) we want to provide ongoing support, so you feel informed, prepared, and confident as you approach your surgery date.
Prehabilitation is not just about preparing your body for surgery—it’s about empowering yourself to take an active role in your health and well-being. At our clinic in Broadmeadow, our team of dedicated physiotherapists and exercise physiologists tailor prehabilitation programs to your unique needs. By participating in our program, you can enhance your surgical outcomes, accelerate your recovery, and enjoy a smoother journey towards restored health and vitality.
At Transcend Health, we are committed to supporting you every step of the way, from prehabilitation to post-surgery rehabilitation and beyond. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you prepare for a successful surgical experience and beyond.