Most Americans want to live a longer, happier, more active life as long as they can. The problem with long lives that are filled with lots of activity, though, is that not all of our bodies age well. After years of being a gymnast or a football player, after years of working in a job that required you to stand all day, and after repetitive tasks have taken a toll on the hips, shoulders, and knees that we all depend so much on, many aging Americans end up needing a surgery.
As a result, there are a growing number of physical and occupational therapists who offer their services to make sure that patients who have had to have hip, knee, or shoulder replacement surgery are not only able to manage pain management procedures, but also returning to a satisfying, active life again.
As the Population Continues to Age Surgeries Become More and More Common
Because our spirits appear to so often be stronger than our bodies, a growing number of Americans find themselves in need of hip, shoulder, and knee replacement surgeries and other procedures to make sure that they are able to live the kind of lifestyle that they desire. The fact that as many as 4.7 million Americans were living with an artificial knee and 2.5 million Americans were living with an artificial hip in the year 2014, research from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons indicates that millions of American are willing to take many steps to get back to being their most active selves.
From sports injury clinics for young athletes to rehabilitation centers for older patients, a great number of occupational and physical therapists across the country continue to find a way to help their patients recover and rehab as soon as possible. And while no one has ever said that surgery rehab is easy, therapists have a number of treatment and exercise options that have proven to be very effective.
In addition to rehabilitative therapy options, surgeons and therapists also work together to come up with pain management procedures that will aid in the recovery process.
