How can telehealth rehabilitation help me after hip surgery?

Hip surgery is a medical procedure that more than 450,000 people undergo every year in the United States. Many of those surgeries are total hip replacements, which give people with damaged hips relief from pain, an increase in their mobility and the ability to return to their everyday activities. 

However, total hip replacement and other hip surgeries are considered major surgeries, requiring a lot of time and rehabilitation afterward before a full recovery can be attained. Luckily, thanks to advances in technology and medicine, patients can reap the benefits of rehabilitative care while recovering at home.

What is telehealth rehabilitation?

Interactions between clinicians and patients that take place over the phone, through video or other long-distance communication are all considered to be a part of telehealth. Health care providers can monitor, educate, treat and support patients in the comfort of their own homes. The benefits of virtual health care are especially valuable to patients whose mobility may be limited.

Can telehealth rehabilitation help me recover from hip surgery?

While most people are usually able to return to their normal activities within 10 to 12 weeks of hip surgery, a full recovery may take six to 12 months. Many patients may experience prolonged pain and muscle weakness during this time, so it is important that physical therapy rehabilitation begins as soon as possible following surgery.

Virtual physical therapy, or telehealth rehabilitation, is something you can start using as soon as you get home from the hospital. Your physical therapist can create a personalized therapy plan for you. This plan can help supercharge your hip recovery while keeping you comfortably at home. 

3 things to pay attention to when doing telehealth rehabilitation

Virtual physical therapy can be very helpful when used properly. However, there are some things you’ll want to stay aware of when using telehealth hip rehabilitation. Some of these include: 

• Pushing yourself too hard — Many patients can be impatient to recover fully. This often leads to them pushing themselves harder than they should, especially when they aren’t meeting with a physical therapist in person. It’s important to be honest with yourself about how tired you are and take rest breaks between therapy sessions.
• Icing incorrectly — Believe it or not, there is such a thing as icing incorrectly. Be sure to follow your clinician’s instructions for icing your hip. If you have any questions about icing, be sure to ask your virtual physical therapist or doctor. 
• Paying close attention to your pain levels — One day you might feel very little pain. However, the next day it could spike because you overused your hip or for some other reason. Be sure to pay close attention to your pain levels, and talk to your virtual physical therapist about any new pain or changes in your pain.

Agile Virtual PT can help you get effective telehealth rehabilitation following hip surgery

At Agile Virtual Physical Therapy, we are dedicated to ensuring the wellness of our patients. Our team will lead you on your telehealth rehabilitation journey through guided exercises designed to help you strengthen your hips and improve your mobility, all while reducing your pain and discomfort. We can also help people maintain their wellness when their rehab is complete. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.