Post-Surgical Rehab
Post-surgical physical therapy helps you move, strengthen and return to your life after an operation, following your surgeon's protocol. Western Slope Rehab and Performance provides physical therapy after surgery in Grand Junction and the surrounding Grand Valley, including Fruita, Palisade, Orchard Mesa, Appleton, Clifton and the Redlands. You can usually choose where you do your PT, and we would be glad to be your choice.
Why rehab after surgery matters
Surgery fixes a problem, but it does not rebuild strength, motion or confidence. Rehab does. Physical therapy works on the cause of limits rather than only masking pain, shows you how to move around temporary restrictions, and can reduce how much you need prescription pain medication.
Your plan can also include advice on lifestyle changes that support long-term health and help protect the area from further damage. Starting early matters, and if your surgery date is set, see Pre-Surgical Physical Therapy for getting stronger first.
Surgeries we help people recover from
Knee replacement
Total or partial knee replacement rehab, getting bending, straightening and walking back.
Hip replacement
Total hip replacement, with safe movement and building strength for stairs and walking.
ACL, MCL and meniscus
ACL surgery rehab and repairs of the other knee structures.
Rotator cuff repair
Rehab after shoulder surgery to regain motion and strength.
Spine surgery
Rehab after back surgery, such as spinal fusion. See Back Pain.
Foot and ankle
Getting weight-bearing, walking and balance back. See Foot & Ankle Pain.
Hand and wrist
Surgery for the hand, such as carpal tunnel release.
Heart surgery
Recovering strength after procedures such as ablation, stent placement or a pacemaker.
Working with your surgeon's plan
Their protocol comes first
Your surgeon sets the rules for what you can and cannot do and when. We follow them and progress you inside them.
Bring what you have
Bring your discharge papers and any written protocol to your first visit.
You can choose your clinic
Many patients do not realize they usually get to pick where they do physical therapy. See Insurance for what we accept, and Direct Access for starting without a doctor's referral.
Keeping the surgeon in the loop
Tell us when you have follow-up appointments, and ask us to share how you are progressing.
How recovery tends to unfold
Your surgeon's timeline always sets the pace. In general, rehab moves through these stages.
Protect and move gently
Control swelling and pain, and begin the movements your surgeon allows.
Restore motion and walking
Work on range of motion, scar mobility and a normal walking pattern.
Build strength
Progressive exercise, with Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Training where it suits you, to rebuild the muscle around the surgical site.
Return to your life
Get back to work, the garden, the trail or your sport, with a plan to keep going on your own.
What your treatment can include
- Protocol-based progressive exercise (Therapeutic Exercise)
- Range of motion restoration
- Swelling management
- Scar mobilization
- Gait training and, when it helps, assistive device use
- Manual Therapy to ease stiffness and guarding
- A home exercise program
Call your surgeon or get help if you notice
- Fever, or redness, warmth or drainage at the incision
- Sudden pain, swelling or tenderness in the calf
- Pain that is suddenly much worse and does not ease with rest
For chest pain or sudden shortness of breath, call 911. For everything else on this list, call your surgeon's office the same day.
Plan your recovery in Grand Junction
We treat patients from Grand Junction, Fruita, Palisade, Orchard Mesa, Appleton, Clifton and the Redlands. You can start physical therapy without a referral from a doctor in most cases. Some insurance plans, including Medicare, still need a doctor's sign-off on the plan of care (Direct Access). Call (970) 314-9822 and we will check your plan.
We see patients from Grand Junction and the surrounding Grand Valley: Fruita, Palisade, Orchard Mesa, Appleton, Clifton and the Redlands.