The Importance of Fall Prevention After Surgery

Are you scheduled for an upcoming surgery? Have you thought about the steps you may need to take to prepare your home for your recovery? One of the most important considerations you’ll need to make is how you can safeguard yourself against a bad fall. Far too many urgent care or emergency room visits occur after a patient is discharged from surgery and suffers a bad fall at home.

You don’t have to have leg surgery to be at risk for falling during your post-operative recovery. Falls can be due to unsteadiness from pain medication, nausea, weakness or simply trying to do too much too soon. Unfortunately, a misguided step and bad fall after surgery can also undo some of the healing that has already taken place or even require a surgeon to revisit your surgical site.

At Manhattan Sports Therapy, we proudly offer post-surgery rehabilitation. While we can’t always prevent slip and fall injuries while you are at home, we can make suggestions of ways you can make your home safer and more accessible. Our physical therapists will also ensure your body gains strength and proper mobility so that your movements at home are less likely to put you off balance.

Whether it is a back surgery or knee replacement, you’ll need to get both your body and your home ready for your post-operative period. This includes thinking about the small everyday movements that you may take for granted before surgery, like reaching down to the pick up the newspaper or making your morning coffee. Our goal during your rehab is to address your weakness while also maximizing optimal healing and helping you avoid slip and fall injuries.

Getting Your Home Ready for Post-Operative Recovery

These simple preparations in your home can lessen your risk for an unexpected fall after surgery:

• Create a living environment that is one floor. Eliminate the need for stairs.
• Lower your bed so that your feet reach the floor when sitting at the edge
• Stock up on frozen food/canned foods as well as personal hygiene items
• Make sure you can reach everything at waist level that you need without the need to reach high up or bend down low.
• Consider purchasing items such as a walker or cane, a handlebar in the bathroom, skid free bath mats or a shoe horn to help you put on your shoes more easily.
• Keep tripping hazards out of your home by removing loose cords, using night lights/lamps and containing small pets that may cause you to fall.
• Don’t be stubborn about asking for help. This may include having a family member, friend or hired caregiver to stay with you around the clock until you are more stable.

Finally, don’t neglect or put off your physical therapy visits for your rehabilitation. While you may not always feel like it or think it’s important, these sessions can make a profound impact on how fast and strong you recovery from surgery. For more information on our post-surgery rehab solutions, please call Manhattan Sports Therapy today.