Sure you’ve heard of rehabilitation but how about prehabilitation? Prehabilitation (prehab) is a process that focuses on improving functional capability with targeted exercises at areas prone to injury. Many people confuse prehabilitation with warming up before a workout. Warmups should occur before any physical activity and typically involve stretching muscles to avoid a strain or sprain. Prehabilitation has more of a long-term effect that builds over time and should be implemented 2-3 times a week for the best results.
Prehabilitation is different for everyone because it is individualized to meet your particular needs. Depending on the type of physical activity you engage in, your weakness areas, your specific biomechanics, and any past injuries, your physician will recommend specific exercises that fulfill your personal health goals.
Anyone who engages in physical activity can benefit from prehabilitation. It is especially indicated for individuals who:
- Have been previously injured and are looking to return to physical activity while still protecting themselves from future injury.
- Engage in regular physical activity because they could be at risk of overuse injuries.
- Are considering surgery to provide them with the best chance at a healthy and full recovery.
Preparing your body for surgery is one of the best ways to encourage recovery. The stronger you are going into a procedure, the faster your recovery process will be. Thus, prehabilitation is becoming more commonly recommended for an abundance of orthopedic procedures.
The goal of prehab is to identify and strengthen your vulnerable areas so that you can prepare your body before an injury or surgery. It helps to build confidence in your ability to control your body and health. If you think that prehabilitation is something that would benefit you, contact Dr. Mithoefer for more information today!
Dr. Kai Mithoefer is board certified in both Orthopedic surgery and Orthopedic sports medicine, fellowship trained in Orthopedic Trauma at Harvard and the prestigious Sports Medicine and Shoulder Surgery fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. Dr. Mithoefer is an internationally recognized specialist for joint preservation, has published more than 100 scientific articles and book chapters and is a frequent speaker at national and international orthopedic meetings.
