Post-Surgery Rehabilitation at Home in Pashan, Pune

The first fortnight after an operation is when a house shows its weaknesses. A raised threshold, a low toilet, a bed that sits too low, or steps down to a gate can each turn a successful surgery into a slow, frightening recovery. Pashan has many houses with such features, as well as apartments where the lift is reliable but the bathroom is tight.

A general description of recovery after surgery is in our post-surgery rehabilitation guide. This page explains how we adapt it to homes in Pashan.

Preparing the house for coming home

The time to think about the home is before you arrive. If the surgeon has set rules, for example no deep hip bending or no weight on a leg for some weeks, they decide what the house needs.

• A firm, higher chair with arms, so that the knees stay lower than the hips.
• A bed at the right height, since getting off a low bed strains a new joint.
• A raised toilet seat or commode if advised, with a clear path to it.
• A planned way out. The route from the bedroom to the car, including the outdoor steps in houses that have them.
• A helper who has seen how to stand beside the patient and how to hold a walking aid steady.

What the sessions cover

On the first visit the physiotherapist reads the operation notes and discharge summary and asks about pain, sleep, swelling and medicines. They examine movement and muscle control, check how you get out of bed and stand, and teach the first exercises. Common ones are ankle pumps, gentle knee bending, muscle tightening and breathing exercises, each chosen to keep the circulation going and to wake up muscles that have been resting.

Over the following visits the load goes up gradually: stronger exercises, a lighter walking aid, longer walks, then stairs. For a knee operation, see also knee pain physiotherapy in Pashan, and for older patients the page on elderly physiotherapy in Pashan covers balance and falls.

Slopes, steps and the first outing

Many Pashan lanes are sloped, and houses are often set above the road. After an operation this can decide how soon a person can leave home. The physiotherapist checks the gate steps and the surface in the lane and rehearses the exit with you: how to place the walking aid, which foot goes first, where the helper stands. The first outing is usually to a hospital review, so we practise getting into and out of a car without twisting.

The way to the hospital may run through Chandni Chowk or the bypass, and waiting in traffic is hard on a new joint or a healing spine. Take a cushion, a bottle of water and your walking aid, and ask whether the surgeon can see you at a quieter hour.

In the rainy season, outdoor steps and sloped paths turn slippery. A dry-day rule for the first outing is a sensible precaution.

Looking after yourself between visits

• Do the exercises in small, regular sets, not one long session.
• Walk a little more each day inside the house, on a clear surface.
• Follow the surgeon's advice on elevation and ice.
• Take pain medicine as prescribed, before exercise if advised.
• Do not stop movement because of fear. Gentle activity keeps the joint from stiffening.

Call the surgeon or go to hospital if

The wound opens, bleeds or leaks pus, the area around it turns red and hot, you get a fever, your calf becomes swollen, hot and painful, or you become suddenly breathless or develop chest pain. A fall on the operated side, or new numbness or weakness, also needs prompt medical review.

Visits can be requested on the booking page. For details of the area see home physiotherapy in Pashan.