Post-Surgery Rehabilitation at Home in Bibwewadi, Pune

The days after an operation are when a household learns what it had not planned for. The patient comes home with a discharge summary, a walker or a stick, and a flat that suddenly seems full of obstacles: a high bed, a raised bathroom threshold, a staircase to the lane. Home physiotherapy exists to deal with exactly these, and in Bibwewadi, where many societies have stairs and no lift, the planning matters.

Our post-surgery rehabilitation page describes the usual stages. This page is about planning for the return home. For a fracture, see our fracture recovery guide for Bibwewadi. Neighbours in Gangadham can read about post-surgery rehabilitation there.

Before discharge: a checklist worth doing

If you can, call us before the patient leaves hospital. A short conversation lets the physiotherapist prepare the first visit, and lets you fix small things in advance. Useful questions to ask are:

• What can the patient do now, and what must they avoid? Ask the surgeon for written limits on bending, twisting, weight-bearing and sleeping positions.
• How will the patient get from the vehicle to the flat? Measure the number of steps from the lane to your door, and note whether there is a rail.
• Is the bed a suitable height? Many beds are too low for someone with a new hip or knee, and a firm cushion or a raised frame may be needed.
• Is the bathroom ready? A sturdy seat, a non-slip mat and a clear route from bed to toilet save falls at night.
• Who will be there in the first week, and who can learn the exercises?

The first trip down the stairs

For a patient who lives above ground level, the first descent is a milestone and a risk. The physiotherapist first works on the movement at a single step, then a short flight, with a helper standing below. Going up is led by the stronger leg and coming down by the operated one, though your surgeon may advise otherwise. We also decide who carries the walker. We do not rush it. If the patient is not ready, we say so and suggest how to manage the follow-up trip with help instead.

What the sessions include

The mix depends on the operation. After joint replacement it typically includes bending and straightening exercises, strengthening, walking practice and learning how to get in and out of bed and a chair safely. After abdominal or chest surgery, breathing exercises and early mobilisation help guard against chest infection and stiffness. After spinal surgery, the emphasis is on safe movement and graded walking. Hands-on work around scars begins only when the wound has healed and the surgeon agrees. A pain-relief device such as TENS is used with caution near a surgical site and never over fresh wounds, implants that are not cleared for it, or a pacemaker.

When a knee has been replaced, the knee pain page explains how the joint is loaded, and older patients may also benefit from the approach described on the elderly physiotherapy page.

Looking after yourself between visits

• Do the exercises on schedule, even when you feel good. Skipping them is a common reason for stiffness.
• Walk a little more each day, as the physiotherapist has set it, rather than doing a lot on one day.
• Keep the wound clean and dry as the surgeon advised, and do not apply creams or oils without asking.
• Take pain medicines as prescribed so that you can move, since pain that stops you exercising slows recovery.

Warning signs after surgery

Go to the hospital promptly if the wound becomes red, hot or leaks, if you develop a fever, or if a calf becomes swollen, tender and painful, which can signal a clot. Sudden chest pain or breathlessness is an emergency. A fall after which the operated limb looks different or will not bear weight also needs assessment before more physiotherapy. If any of these appear, we stop the session and ask you to contact the surgical team.

To arrange a first visit, use the booking page. The Bibwewadi hub lists the sub-areas we serve.