5 Signs You Need Physical Therapy Before Surgery (Not After)

Elite Performance Clinic • December 2025

Most people think of physical therapy as something that happens after surgery. But what if we told you that the right PT program before your procedure could actually improve your surgical outcome?

Pre-operative physical therapy, also called "prehabilitation," is gaining recognition among orthopedic surgeons for good reason. Here's why preparing your body before surgery might be the most important step in your recovery plan.

1. You Have Limited Range of Motion

If your joint mobility is already compromised before surgery, you're starting your recovery from a deficit. Pre-surgical PT helps restore as much range of motion as possible, giving your surgeon better access during the procedure and giving you a head start on post-op recovery.

Example: A patient scheduled for knee replacement with only 90 degrees of flexion will have a harder recovery than one who enters surgery with 110 degrees. Those 20 degrees matter.

2. Your Surrounding Muscles Are Weak or Atrophied

Surgery creates trauma to tissue. If the muscles supporting your surgical site are already weak, they'll struggle to protect and stabilize the area during healing. Strengthening these muscles beforehand reduces compensation patterns and speeds up your return to function.

Research shows: Patients who complete prehab programs often reduce their post-operative physical therapy time by 30-40%.

3. You're Experiencing Chronic Inflammation

Entering surgery with high levels of inflammation can complicate healing and increase post-surgical pain. A targeted PT program that includes manual therapy, movement modification, and specific exercises can help reduce inflammatory markers before your procedure.

4. You Don't Understand Your Post-Op Restrictions

Many patients leave their surgical consultation unclear about what they can and can't do after surgery. Pre-operative PT gives you a chance to learn these restrictions, practice exercises you'll need post-op, and ask questions in a less stressful environment than your first week of recovery.

5. You Want to Return to High-Level Activity

If your goal is to get back to competitive sports, intense training, or physically demanding work, prehabilitation is essential. Building a strong foundation pre-surgery creates better tissue quality for healing and establishes movement patterns that will carry through your recovery.

What Does Pre-Surgical PT Look Like?

At Elite Performance Clinic, our prehabilitation programs are designed in collaboration with your surgical team and typically include:

• Manual therapy to improve tissue quality and reduce pain
• Targeted strengthening of muscles that will support your recovery
• Range of motion work to optimize surgical access
• Education on post-operative expectations and restrictions
• Baseline measurements to track your progress after surgery

The Bottom Line

Surgery is just one part of your recovery journey. The stronger and more prepared you are going in, the better your outcome will be coming out.

If you're scheduled for an orthopedic procedure and haven't discussed prehabilitation with your surgeon, it's worth asking. Many physicians are now recommending 4-6 weeks of targeted PT before surgery for their patients.

At Elite Performance Clinic, we work closely with orthopedic surgeons throughout Los Angeles to provide evidence-based prehabilitation programs.

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