3 Steps to Recovering from Surgery with Short Term Rehab

So you’ve just had surgery or you’re planning to, and your healthcare team has recommended short term rehab to ease your path as you’re recovering from surgery. What is short term rehab and what do you need to know to make the most of the experience? These programs are designed to give you the comprehensive therapy, treatment and support you need to make your best recovery, regaining your personal best level of health, function and independence as quickly as possible.

So now that you know what short term rehab is, here are 3 steps that can help you make the most of it as you’re recovering after surgery.

1. Choose Your Most Appropriate Short Term Rehab Program

Choosing the best short term rehab program for your individual needs is a very important step to recovering after surgery. First, it is important to choose a program or facility that has a lot of experience with patients who have had the same type of surgery as yours. You'll also want to look for a short term rehab facility that uses a comprehensive, multidisciplinary and patient-centered team-based approach to recovery and rehabilitation. These two key factors work to ensure that you will get the effective and personalized care you need to make your best recovery over the shortest period of time.

2. Invested and Get Involved with Planning and Treatment

A high-quality short term rehab program will not only encourage but also expect you to get involved with formulating and carrying out your rehabilitative treatment plan. That’s because patients who are in the driver’s seat when it comes to their care generally have better recovery and rehabilitation outcomes.

That process will begin with a thorough evaluation of your needs, during which you’ll work with rehabilitative physicians and nursing staff, physical, occupational and speech therapists, nutritionists, care coordinators, specialists, and other rehabilitation professionals to determine your individual needs and goals. Then, you and your rehabilitation team will collaborate to create your own personalized treatment plan to meet those needs. Your input is very important to this process, so speak up, ask questions, and get involved and invested in creating your own best road to recovery.

3. Focus On Your Recovery – And Stay Committed To Working For It

Once you have chosen a high-quality short term rehab with a solid, physician-led rehabilitation team to help you in recovering from surgery, your next step is placing your focus on making your best progress toward your recovery and rehabilitation goals.

When it comes to rehabilitation, getting the best results depends on your level of commitment to achieving those results. That means that it is important that you make working toward your goals the top priority during your rehab stay. If you need help keeping yourself motivated, don’t be afraid to ask for it, whether you need better pain management or a counselor to help you work through feelings of discouragement, frustration or anxiety. A good short term rehab program will have many staff members available to help you make the most of your time with them, so reach out for the help you need.