Physical therapy combines stretches, exercises, and other manual therapies to rehabilitate your body. It’s a highly personalized treatment, with each program tailored to meet the specific needs of the individual.
Physical therapy can help you maintain and rebuild strength, flexibility, stamina, and balance. It might even help you avoid more invasive treatments, including surgery.
After a joint replacement surgery, you will start physical therapy right away. Your initial appointments include small, passive range-of-motion exercises. As you recover, your physical therapist increases the intensity of your sessions until you’re moving your body on your own and incorporating resistance and weight.