Post-Surgery Recovery After a Sports Injury: The Role of Physical Therapy
- zionsvillept
- Jan 20, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 22
One minute, you’re racing across the soccer pitch. The next, you’re crumbled on the grass, your knee in agony. It’s a torn ACL–and if you want to play soccer again, you’ll need surgery. Now, you’re facing a major procedure and a lengthy post-surgery recovery.
This is a nightmare scenario for many athletes–but you have ways to optimize your recovery and get back in the game. One of the most significant is rehabilitating with physical therapy. In fact, surgery is often only the first step on your road to recovery. Physical therapy is essential in ensuring that you heal properly so you can return to the sport you love.
At Zionsville Physical Therapy, we regularly work with athletes rehabilitating after surgery for a sports injury. We create customized programs for each patient and work closely with them to ensure their post-surgery recovery runs as smoothly as possible.
Keep reading to learn more about our process.
Three Sports Injury Surgeries We Can Help Rehabilitate
ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) Reconstruction
ACL tears are a common knee injury that tends to occur among athletes who pivot or twist during their sport. ACL reconstruction repairs the torn ligament in the knee, a crucial structure for stability and movement.
Rotator Cuff Repair
The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that wrap around the shoulder. Rotator cuff tears often occur in athletes who perform repetitive overhead movements, like baseball or swimming. Rotator cuff repair surgery repairs the damaged tissue.
Meniscus Repair
The surgery addresses torn knee cartilage, which can be a common injury in contact sports.
Why Post-Surgical Rehabilitation is Essential
No matter what procedure you undergo, you’ll need to rehabilitate with physical therapy afterward.
Post-surgical physical therapy is key to restoring full function, strength, and mobility. Without it, scar tissue, restricted mobility, or weakened muscles could interfere with the body’s natural healing process. Our team of physical therapists will guide you through each phase of post-surgery recovery, helping you optimize your rehabilitation and prevent these issues from occurring.
For example, after ACL reconstruction, we’ll show you strengthening exercises to stabilize the knee and prevent re-injury. We’ll also help improve your balance and function. After rotator cuff repairs, we focus on improving shoulder stability, strength, and range of motion, helping to prevent strain on healing tissues.
With each specific surgery, we’ll target the muscles and structures that need support, allowing athletes to safely rebuild their endurance and strength.
What to Expect from Post-Surgery Recovery
We’ll begin with a detailed evaluation to help us create a customized recovery plan tailored to your specific surgery and individual needs.
The early stages of recovery generally focus on reducing pain and swelling. We’ll guide you through careful movements designed to prevent stiffness and stimulate blood flow to encourage healing and minimize scar tissue.
As you improve, we’ll move into more active rehabilitation through exercises that rebuild strength, balance, and coordination. The later portions of your rehabilitation will include sport-specific exercises to help you safely transition back to your chosen activity.
With each session, you should expect to see gradual improvements in their mobility, strength, and confidence. We’ll work closely with you to adjust the recovery plan to match your progress, ensuring safe and effective healing.
Schedule an Appointment to Learn More!
If you’re scheduled for surgery after a sports injury, physical therapy could be the key to a strong comeback. Now’s the time to set up an appointment at Zionsville Physical Therapy to learn how we can help make your procedure a success. Call our IN clinic today to get started.
