Conditions We Treat

If you’ve had a major musculoskeletal injury like an ACL rupture, a hip labrum tear, or an ankle fracture and have decided to undergo an orthopedic surgery, were here to help. Whether you are looking to establish a home program to begin before surgery, would like to go through a progressive in-clinic program, or just want to ask our physical therapists in Charlottesville questions about what to expect before during and after the surgery, we are here for you.

Pre-operative care can be as important as the surgery and post-operative care to get you back to the activities you miss the most. Although not always prescribed before a surgery, physical therapy care is one of the best things you can do to ensure an optimal outcome following your surgery. If your doctor hasn’t mentioned “pre-hab” to you, be sure to ask about it or call our office to find out more.

Benefits of Pre-Op Care

• PT is beneficial in helping you go into the operating room with full range of motion and optimal strength; the stronger you go in, the easier the post-op rehab will be and the better outcome you will achieve
• Allow patients to ask questions about what to expect after surgery
• Allows you to establish a clinical relationship with your physical therapist in Charlottesville before your surgery so that you are comfortable and confident with your provider
• Allows the PT know about your preferences and expectations for treatment
• Gives the PT more knowledge of your case and your goals

Our Doctors are ready to get you in shape and ready for optimal outcomes following your surgical procedure. 

Here are some of the conditions that we see most often:

• Rotator cuff repair
• SLAP or Bankart repair
• Shoulder stabilization surgery
• UCL reconstruction or “Tommy John” surgery
• Hip Labrum repair (with or without osteoplasty and microfracture)
• Hamstring or Gluteal tendon repair
• Fracture fixation surgery (ORIF)
• ACL reconstruction
• MPFL reconstruction
• Multiligament knee surgery
• Meniscus repair
• Lateral ankle reconstruction
• Joint replacement surgery

What to Expect

Although the injury is present at the time of pre-operative care, there are a variety of exercises that can be performed safely and without risk of further injury. We will work closely with you and your physician to determine your needs during your first appointment. We will then develop a progressive program with a home program for you to work on at home to allow you to progress as much as possible before your surgery date. During this care is  a great time to ask your PT about what to expect following your surgery.

Following any major musculoskeletal injury, your post-operative rehabilitation is just as important for a full return to function as the surgery itself. It allows your body to progressively adapt to the changes in the tissue and return to a higher level of function. Without a proper progressive rehab program following surgery, the surgery itself may be ineffective and may lead to graft failure. At Balanced, we use the protocols from your surgeon to guide your rehabilitation, but also tailor the program to your individual goals. It is our goal to have you leave the clinic as stronger version of yourself.

Benefits of Post-Op Rehab

The benefits are many for post-op rehab:

• Reduce pain
• Reduce muscle guarding and spasm
• Return joint or tissue to full range of motion
• Improve strength and muscular endurance
• Improve active stabilization of the joint
• Improve proprioception and movement patterns
• Progress into activity specific movements to help reach your goals

Our Physical Therapists in Charlottesville are ready to get you in shape and ready for optimal outcomes following your surgical procedure. 

Here are some of the conditions that we see most often:

• Rotator cuff repair
• SLAP or Bankart repair
• Shoulder stabilization surgery
• UCL reconstruction or “Tommy John” surgery
• Hip Labrum repair (with or without osteoplasty and microfracture)
• Hamstring or Gluteal tendon repair
• Fracture fixation surgery (ORIF)
• ACL reconstruction
• MPFL reconstruction
• Multiligament knee surgery
• Meniscus repair
• Lateral ankle reconstruction

What to Expect

1. Most surgeons will give you a post-op rehab protocol to follow. This will give you a good idea of how rehab will progress.
2. Following your surgery, you may have a period of immobilization and/or weightbearing restrictions which are important to allow the surgical site to heal.
3. The early goal with many post-op rehab programs is progressively improving range of motion. This is generally the focus within the first few sessions. Manual therapy will also help to reduce post-op pain.
4. Gentle strengthening and proprioceptive exercises will usually be performed early on as well, maintaining any precautions given by your surgeon.
5. Strength and ROM will be progressively increased and become more challenging over the later weeks, eventually progressing you into sport or activity specific movements.

Before Your First Visit

We ask that you have the surgical office fax your prescription for physical therapy in Charlottesville as well as the operative report. The operative report is a written explanation of the procedure that details which tissues were involved, which were anchored, etc. This allows our Doctors to know which tissues need to be unloaded and allows us to progress our patients more safely and effectively. We also ask that the post-op protocol is either faxed or brought with the patient on the first visit.

Resources

• UVA Post-op Protocols
• Sentara Post-op Protocols
• VCU Post-op Protocols

Wellness care incorporates all of the things we offer to keep you feeling at the top of your game in everyday life and sport. All of our healthcare providers have something to offer to keep you well. Wellness care is essential for reducing the risk of an injury. Whether trying to stay out of pain while sitting at the office or during the sports season, we have wellness options that can help.

Chiropractic Wellness Care

Regular chiropractic visits can be incredibly beneficial for keeping you out of pain. Think of these visits like a well visit to your general physician. These adjustments work to use your bodies internal pain relieving system to reduce pain, reduce muscle tension to improve movement, and increase joint proprioception to improve your bodies motor control. Regular check-ups help to maintain spinal mobility, reduce pain, and keep your muscles relaxed to keep you at your best.

Physical Therapy Training

Our therapists like to take rehabilitation one step further into wellness care for our patients, as well as clients who have not undergone formal physical therapy. These visits resemble personal training sessions, which will focus on deficits determined by your goals and an initial consult with the therapist. Progress will be monitored between sessions and home programs can also be generated to keep you honest outside of the clinic. It is our hope to help athletes, big and small, to reach personal bests and perform at a higher level.

Wellness Massage

Who wouldn’t benefit from a regular massage? Our therapist is skilled at reducing muscle tension to keep muscles, fascia, and joints moving as normally as possible. Regular massages can help to reduce pain, stress, and movement dysfunctions. Combine this with our other wellness offerings and you will be a finely tuned machine.