Hip replacement surgery can offer many benefits to patients who have suffered damage to a hip joint due to arthritis or injury, including increased mobility, less joint pain, and better quality of life. However, if you will be having this type of joint replacement surgery, you should know that when it comes to reaping those benefits, the rehabilitative therapy you receive after surgery is nearly as important as the procedure itself.
For this reason, inpatient short term rehab programs are frequently recommended after hip replacement procedures to ensure that patients get the care they need to make their best recovery. Here are 3 reasons why short term rehab really matters after hip replacement:
1) Promotes faster, more complete recovery
A good inpatient short term rehab program has the staff, facilities, and equipment to provide patients more intensive, highly personalized, and comprehensive rehabilitation plans than can the average outpatient or home-based rehab program. Each patient is assessed by a physician-led team of rehabilitation specialists, which may include, depending upon the needs of each patient, doctors; wound care and pain management specialists; physical, occupational, and speech therapists; nutritionists; rehabilitation nursing staff; care managers; social workers; and counselors.
With the information gathered from that assessment, the rehab team then works with patients to formulate a comprehensive treatment plan that best suits their individual needs. Treatment plans are intensive, with patients spending at least three hours a day in therapy sessions – rather than two or three sessions a week in an outpatient program – and provided with access to staff, equipment, and facilities between those sessions to work towards their rehabilitation goals.
Care is well-coordinated since all involved are under one roof, and treatment plans are evaluated frequently and adjusted as necessary throughout a patient's stay to ensure that rehab and recovery goals are met. The comprehensive, tightly-coordinated, and individualized approach to recovery and rehabilitation gets results, helping patients regain strength, mobility, and independence faster than can be done in the outpatient setting.
2) Reduces risk of post-surgery complications
Patients who enroll in an inpatient short-term rehab program after joint replacement surgery have the benefit of 24-hour medical care and monitoring. This typically leads to better pain management than can be achieved at home, more efficient management of medication schedules, and better attention to wound care. Patients are typically more active in an inpatient setting since they feel more confident with medical supervision and support. These factors aid in reducing the risk of common post-surgical complications – wound infections or blood clots, for instance.
3) Provides support during the recovery and rehabilitation process
Another advantage that short term rehab offers is lots of support. Not only is the rehabilitation team consistently available for support and assistance, but patients also have the added support of others who have had joint replacement surgery – people who are going through the same daily challenges and experiencing the same frustrations. This supportive atmosphere can be invaluable in keeping motivation levels high throughout the hard work of recovery and rehabilitation.
