KENDALL PARK, NJ – According to Avani Vora, PT, DPT, assistant clinical director of Jersey Physical Therapy’s South Brunswick clinic, the theory behind starting a prehabilitation regimen prior to any joint-replacement surgery is based on a simple-to-understand concept:
“The stronger you are going into a surgery, the stronger you’ll be coming out of it,” Vora said. “Through prehabilitation, we work to optimize patients’ strength and range of motion before they have joint-replacement surgery so that their bodies – and minds – will be better prepared for the journey they have ahead of them.”
Prehabilitation will be one topic covered during Jersey Physical Therapy’s next “On the Move” Lifestyle Enhancement Series workshop. Titled “Joint Replacement 101: A Guide to What You Need to Know,” this free workshop will be held at noon on Tuesday, April 15 at the South Brunswick Senior Center.
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The series, which offers free lifestyle- and/or athletic-based workshops held in community locations near one of Jersey Physical Therapy’s three locations, was established to “empower the public to become more proactive in injury prevention, pain management and improving overall function and health,” Vora said.
Besides prehabilitation, April’s workshop will educate attendees on what to expect following knee- and hip-replacement surgery, especially where rehabilitation is concerned. However, Vora believes the concept of prehabilitation may strike the biggest chord with attendees who may be facing joint surgery, and for good reason.
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“When a person’s come to the point where joint replacement surgery is necessary, they’ve likely developed a lot of bad habits in movement in order to avoid the pain they’re in – an abnormal gait due to compensation, for instance,” she said. “Over time, these habits can lead to a reduction in strength and flexibility, issues we’d like to address prior to surgery so that recovery is quicker for the patient.”
Additionally, prehabilitation provides physical therapists with an opportunity to prepare patients for the mental aspect of post-operative rehabilitee, educating them about what to expect immediately after the procedure and coaching them on exercises they will need to know during their post-operative rehabilitation journey.
“As physical therapists, patient education is our strength,” Vora said. “Whether we’re providing prehabilitation services or offering free community workshops, education is the foundation of what we do.”
Past workshops in 2014 have covered the topics of safe running and taking charge of balance and vertigo. Future topics will include “Maintaining a Healthy Spine in the Workplace” in May; “The Link Between Osteoporosis, Strength Training and Balance” in June; “Enjoy a Safe Upper-Body Workout” in September; and “Preventing ACL/Sports-Related Injuries” in November.
For a complete list of all free 2014 “On the Move” Lifestyle Enhancement Series workshops, with dates, times and locations, visit www.jerseypt.com/moveforward. Or, contact any Jersey Physical Therapy location – South Brunswick (732-297-0032), Milltown/East Brunswick (732-418-7033) or Plainsboro (609-785-5386).
About Jersey Physical Therapy
Jersey Physical Therapy was founded in 2002 in Kendall Park by South Brunswick natives Marc Rubenstein, PT, DPT, OCS, and Geoffrey Hunt, BS, PT, OCS. The clinic expanded in 2006 with partner Sean Moore, PT, MPT, and the opening of a second office in Milltown/East Brunswick. Both practices, along with a third location in Plainsboro, strive to deliver the highest quality in physical therapy services with a focus on evidence-based, one-on-one therapy.
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