3 Common Myths About Surgery

There is often a misconception about just what surgery is and how helpful it can be. And whilst sometimes surgery is absolutely necessary and the only right treatment option, it is generally nowhere near as often as you think it might be. Here are three common, and generally unhelpful, beliefs about surgery:

1. Having surgery guarantees you’ll get out of pain. Not so, pain is complex and while surgery can fix mechanical issues that doesn’t always translate to being pain free.

2. Surgery is the fastest way to resolve the problem. Again not always so. Nothing about surgery is a magical quick fix; the 8-12 weeks return to (basic) function that is often quoted is not the same as the length of time it takes to return to full strength and full function, 8-12 weeks is minimum healing time for the tissues, after 8-12 weeks is when the real work starts. Depending on the extent of the surgery and the nature of the procedure rehabilitation is usually a 6-12 month process, sometimes even longer.

3. Recovery from surgery is less work than a conservative approach. Again, wrong. Post-op rehab is significantly longer and harder than most people believe it will be; you’re not just rehabbing the injury; you’re rehabbing the injury, surgical trauma, and quite often a period of immobilisation or incapacity.

BUT sometimes surgery is the best option; it’s less often than people think, and is not a shortcut, it’s not without risk, it’s not easier, it’s not faster.

And here’s the other thing; it doesn’t hurt to try conservative management first (pain management and appropriate strengthening and rehab; ie physio); there’s a really solid chance that if you give it the time and work it needs you will be able to avoid surgery, and if not you are now in a much better place to recover from the surgery. Hit me up if you need some help.