Our mission is to help each patient improve function and regain independence to the best possible extent. We are not satisfied with merely addressing symptoms.
Experience matters
Our physiotherapists have on average 20+ years of experience in postoperative rehabilitation, working with surgeons and helping patients recover from different types of surgeries. A well planned and executed postoperative rehabilitation program is essential, and experience to fine-tune the details to suit each patient makes for an optimal surgical outcome.
Begin with the end in mind
Each patient and each surgery is different. We take into account each patient’s personal circumstances, pre-injury activity level, workplace, and available resources, etc., and to communicate and customise necessary steps with the patient and the family.
Preoperative assessment and prehab
Typically, a physiotherapist familiar with the particular procedure will conduct a preoperative assessment, which may include medical history, initial pain level, range of motion, heart and lung functions, gait, fitting braces, splints or mobility aids, and postoperative exercise practice, among others.
Where indicated, we help you carry out a range of prehab procedures (for example, pulley-assisted shoulder stretches) to familiarise with postoperative exercises to optimise recovery.
After the surgery, the surgeon may want you to achieve certain targets within a timeframe (e.g. to achieve 90 degrees of shoulder flexion in 6 weeks following a “rotator cuff” repair), and/or observe certain restrictions (e.g. non-weight bearing for 4 weeks).
Rehabilitation protocol
The postoperative rehabilitation protocol outlines temporal and functional expectations for recovery. Depending on the nature of the underlying condition, complexity of the surgery, and individual characteristics (age, gender, pre-injury activity level), the recovery processes must be tailored at a personal level.
For example, in theory, by end of the first postoperative week, a patient with an uncomplicated ACL reconstruction should achieve 90 degrees of flexion (knee bending) and full knee extension without lag (straight knee).
To improve clarity, we send you exercise videos and instructions on how to correctly perform relevant exercises.
We use digital outcome measures (quantitative assessment questionnaires) to monitor patients’ progress, and provide regular updates to the surgeon and general practitioners as appropriate.
We regularly communicate with the surgeon as to the appropriateness of exercise protocols for a given patient, and conduct internal reviews of the protocols we use against latest scientific evidence.
Last but not least, staying true to our mission, upon discharge we provide recommendations including exercise tips, appropriate functional aids and braces to use, to help you move well and stay well, and not living with the fear of re-injury.
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