Study Shows Pre-Surgery Physical Therapy Can Reduce Post-Op Costs

Though physical therapy is nothing new in workers’ compensation, a study in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery suggests that a rare form of rehabilitation – that which is performed before a surgery takes place – can help patients avoid post-hospital medical care and drive down costs. The practice, known as prehabilitation, largely involves identifying and planning for the problems a patient might encounter after a surgery and managing expectations – things like teaching the patient how to use crutches and letting him know that he won’t necessarily need to go t...