Physical therapy and joint care
Physical therapy plays an important role in joint care as a method:
- to delay knee or hip replacement surgery
- to prepare for knee or hip replacement surgery
- for rehabilitation after knee or hip replacement surgery
At Mercy General Hospital, physical therapy programs include special exercises vital in restoring movement, strength and function to problem areas.
Joint pain leads to muscle weakness, muscle imbalance and decreased flexibility. Your physical therapist will test the strength of your muscles to see which ones are weak, which ones are strong and evaluate your range of motion to determine which muscles have decreased flexibility. Your therapist will then develop an exercise program to strengthen weak muscles and improve the flexibility of tight muscles. Your therapist will teach you the program and give you exercises to do at home.
Our program for total joint replacement patients includes specialized individual and group treatment activities to help you regain function so you can return home with the best possible results. We also provide a home health nurse or physical therapist, when necessary, following your discharge.
