Walnut Grove sports rehabilitator and massage therapist Tom Riddell explains the importance of building a better baseline before surgery.
Surgery isn’t where recovery begins, it’s where it continues. Pre-operative rehabilitation, or prehab, prepares both the body and the mind which allows you start surgery from a stronger position. That head start consistently translates into better early recovery, improved function and a quicker return to normal daily activities.
Many people see surgery as the main solution and assume recovery only begins afterwards. In reality, how well you move, how strong your muscles are and how confident you feel going into surgery all play a major role in how successful your recovery will be. Prehab helps ensure your body is ready for the procedure and that you can hit the ground running once post-op rehab begins.
The Main Goals of Prehab
Delivered in the weeks leading up to an operation, prehab aims to reduce swelling and pain, restore joint movement, strengthen key muscles and improve balance and confidence. Doing this work before surgery means the body doesn’t have to rebuild from as low a baseline afterwards – you begin post-op rehab from a higher platform.
Key areas:
- Range of motion: a joint that moves fully before surgery is much easier to rehabilitate afterwards.
- Muscle strength and activation: strong, responsive muscles help protect the joint and support early recovery.
- Movement control and balance: relearning stable movement patterns in a controlled setting builds coordination and confidence.
Evidence for Better Outcomes
A growing body of research supports the benefits of pre-operative rehabilitation across a range of surgeries. A 2017 systematic review by Moyer et al. found that patients who completed structured prehab before joint replacement showed improved post-operative strength, function and mobility compared with those who did not.
These findings suggest that entering surgery with good mobility, muscle control and understanding of the rehab process leads to smoother recovery and shorter rehabilitation times. Patients also report greater confidence, less anxiety and a stronger sense of control heading into surgery – psychological benefits that positively influence outcomes.
What a Prehab Program Involves
A quality prehab program is tailored to the individual and supervised by an exercise specialist. It may include mobility and flexibility work, progressive strengthening, light cardiovascular exercise and movement control drills. Education on what to expect after surgery is another key component, helping to reduce fear and improve engagement with post-operative rehabilitation.
The Bottom Line
Prehab is low risk and high reward. It builds strength, mobility and confidence before surgery, creating a solid foundation for post-operative recovery. Think of it as preparing the ground before planting – the stronger the base, the better the result.
If you’re preparing for surgery, don’t wait until afterwards to start your recovery. Begin early, build your baseline and give yourself the best chance of returning to full movement and confidence as quickly as possible.
The team at Walnut Grove can help with pre and post-surgery rehabilitation and Walnut Grove Wellbeing CIC actually runs specific courses with this focus. Please get in touch to find out more. Just give us a call on 01275 818303.
References:
Moyer R, Ikert K, Long K, Marsh J. The value of preoperative exercise and education for patients undergoing total hip and knee arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. 2017;96(12): 897–906. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29232265/
