Is Short-Term Rehab Worth It After A Knee Replacement?
by Tony Grant
Having a knee replaced can be a great way to alleviate pain and increase mobility, but the recovery process can be quite difficult. If you are thinking of having a knee replacement in the near future, you may want to consider spending your recovery time in a short-term rehabilitation facility.
These facilities can make the recovery process less stressful for patients, and can provide a myriad of other benefits as well. Here are three benefits you can enjoy when convalescing from a knee replacement in short-term rehab.
1. Constant support for daily activities.
While you are recovering from your knee replacement, you may find that you have difficulty engaging in routine activities. Completing tasks like taking a shower or preparing meals can become dangerous while your prosthetic knee regains strength.
If you don't have someone who can spend time helping you recover in your home, then the constant support you will receive in a short-term rehab facility can be invaluable. Employees are on-hand at all times to assist you with personal hygiene activities in a safe and secure environment.
2. Nutritional support for healing.
Eating a balanced diet is always important, but the foods you eat after a knee replacement can have an effect on your recovery. Preparing your own meals during recovery can be difficult, but relying on the nutritional expertise of the dietitians employed by short-term rehab facilities can give you the chance to speed your recovery process.
Foods rich in key nutrients like calcium, iron, and protein will give your body access to the nutrients needed to recover quickly. When you don't have to worry about planning recovery-friendly meals, you can focus on other aspects of your recovery (like physical therapy and adequate rest).
3. Mental health support.
In the months following a knee replacement it is not uncommon for patients to experience mental and emotional setbacks. You may find that you suffer from insomnia or develop severe depression as you heal from your surgical procedure. Short-term rehab facilities generally have mental health professionals on-staff to help you work through these emotional challenges.
If left unchecked, emotional challenges could impede the recovery process. Providing you with the counseling and medication you might need to overcome these emotional challenges is one way that short-term rehab centers can assist in the recovery process.
Spending time in short-term rehab following a knee replacement can be beneficial. You will have constant support, access to healthy meals, and the emotional support you need to make it through the recovery process as quickly as possible. To learn more about short term rehabilitation, go to websites created by medical professionals.
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About Me
When you're facing putting your loved one into a nursing home or assisted living facility, you want to make the best possible choice for your loved one. That can be difficult when you don't know much about the nursing homes in your area, or about what you should be looking for in a nursing home to begin with. It's a good idea to tour as many facilities in your area as possible to get an idea of which ones you like, but you still need to know what the signs of a good or bad nursing home are. I used to work as a kitchen assistant in long term care facilities, and I learned a lot about them during that time. I started this blog to share some of my insights into what makes a nursing home great, and how to spot problems in a facility that you're considering.