First Assessment
Free
45 minutes, at home
- Full clinical examination at the patient's home
- The likely cause explained in plain language
- A realistic recovery plan and what it will cost
- No obligation to book any further sessions
The first week after an operation is shaped by small logistics: the height of the bed, the distance to the bathroom, who will help with the first shower. For people returning to a flat along NIBM Road, there is an extra set of questions about the lift, the gate and the drive home through traffic. Planning these before discharge is as important as any exercise.
Our post-surgery rehabilitation guide explains the general stages of recovery. This page describes how we approach the first weeks at home in NIBM, Salunke Vihar, Mohammadwadi and Lullanagar.
Preparing the flat before you return
If you know the discharge date, a few arrangements help:
- Set the bed so that the patient can sit on its edge with feet flat on the floor, adding a firm cushion if the mattress is soft.
- Clear the path from bed to bathroom, and take up loose rugs.
- Use a raised toilet seat or a sturdy chair arrangement if the surgeon has advised against deep bending.
- Place a stool in the shower and a non-slip mat on the bathroom floor.
- Agree who will meet the patient at the gate and ride in the lift with them.
If the patient has a walker or crutches, practise using them in the actual lift and corridor of the building, because a hospital ward is wider than most flat corridors.
What the physiotherapist works on
The programme is set by what was done and by the surgeon's instructions. After a knee or hip replacement, the aims are usually to restore movement, reduce swelling, rebuild muscle and walk safely. After spine surgery, the focus shifts to protecting the back, learning safe ways to get in and out of bed, and gradually building trunk strength. After a fracture, healing time and weight-bearing limits set the pace. We also teach breathing and circulation exercises if the patient is spending much of the day in bed.
You can read more in our guides to knee replacement rehabilitation and hip replacement rehabilitation. A knee that remains painful long after the wound has healed is covered on the page about knee pain physiotherapy on NIBM Road.
Getting to the surgeon's follow-up
Stitch or staple removal, scans and review visits all need an outing. Local reports in April 2025 and in September 2026 describe heavy traffic on NIBM Road and works on the Katraj–Kondhwa corridor, so allow extra time and a comfortable seat for the journey. Ask the physiotherapist how to sit comfortably in a car after your type of surgery, since a low car seat can be a problem after a hip replacement. Take the exercise sheet with you so the surgeon can see what you have been doing.
Common concerns in the first weeks
- Swelling. Raise the limb as advised and keep moving the joints that are allowed to move.
- Stiffness after rest. Short, regular exercise sessions help more than a single long one.
- Lost confidence. Many patients are afraid to put weight on the limb. A physiotherapist beside you can make that step less frightening.
- Tiredness. Recovery takes energy, and short rests between tasks are sensible.
When to contact your surgeon or go to hospital
Call the surgeon promptly if the wound is red, hot, leaking or opening, or if you have a fever. Seek emergency help for chest pain, sudden breathlessness, or a calf that is swollen, hot and painful, which can mean a blood clot. After spine surgery, new leg weakness or loss of bladder control is also an emergency. Elderly patients who become confused after an operation need a doctor to review them.
Arranging care
You can book post-surgery physiotherapy at home and include the operation, the date, the surgeon's restrictions and your building details. For older patients with other health problems, the page on elderly physiotherapy on NIBM Road adds more, and the area overview is on the NIBM Road page.