Rehab after surgery, from your surgeon's protocol to the gym floor
Rehab after orthopaedic surgery at Adapt starts with your surgeon's protocol and a physiotherapy assessment of where you are now, then moves into supervised strength work on our North Sydney gym floor when the protocol and your physiotherapist allow it. Each review decides what changes next, so the plan follows your progress rather than a fixed calendar.
What to bring from your surgical team
Each document tells your physiotherapist something different about where the plan should start.
| What it tells your physiotherapist | How it shapes the plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon's protocol | The stages, restrictions and timing your surgeon wants followed | Sets the order of the early stages and what is not loaded yet |
| Discharge notes | What was done and how the first days after surgery went | Helps decide where the first appointment should start |
| Current restrictions | Limits on weight bearing, range of movement or lifting | Decides which exercises are used until a restriction changes |
| Scans and reports | Findings from before and after surgery | Adds context to the assessment when they are relevant |
| Your goals | The work, sport or daily tasks that matter to you | Sets what the later stages prepare for |
Surgeries we plan rehab around
Rehab is planned for orthopaedic procedures, with a detailed guide where we have one.
Knee
Ligament reconstruction, joint replacement and other knee procedures.
Shoulder
Repairs and other shoulder procedures, staged around the protocol.
Hip
Hip procedures planned around your surgeon's guidance.
Ankle and foot
Ankle and foot procedures, from protected early stages to strength work.
Not listed
Ask the team whether your procedure is one we can plan rehab for.
Four stages after surgery
The order follows your surgeon's protocol, and your physiotherapist adjusts each stage from what the reviews show. You can book once you have the guidance you need to start.
Protect and settle
Early work follows the surgeon's guidance on swelling, movement limits and how much weight you can bear.
Restore movement
Range and everyday movement are rebuilt within the restrictions your surgical team set for recovery.
Rebuild strength
Strength work moves onto the gym floor in supervised sessions once the surgical protocol allows loading.
Prepare for your demands
Later work reflects the work, sport or daily tasks you set as goals with your physiotherapist in clinic.
Can I start rehab before my surgery?
Yes. A physiotherapist can assess you before surgery, explain the early stages and build strength where your surgeon's advice allows. That visit can also clarify what to bring and which booking route fits once surgery is scheduled.
Book a physio
Supervised sessions once the protocol allows
When the protocol allows loading on the gym floor, gym-based physiotherapy supports gym-based rehab under supervision while the coaching team works from the program your physiotherapist sets and reviews.
Measuring strength between stages
Adapt uses VALD ForceDecks and ForceFrame for strength testing when a measurement will inform the next stage, comparing left and right sides alongside how you are tolerating the current exercises.
How gym-based physio works
The physiotherapists who plan your rehab
Each physiotherapist connects the surgical protocol with your current movement, strength and tolerance at every review.
Post-operative assessment and staged rehabilitation planning from surgical protocols.
Musculoskeletal review, training load and progression with the coaching team on the gym floor.
Can I claim post-surgical physio on my health fund?
Physiotherapy consults may be claimable on extras cover depending on your fund and level of cover. Supervised gym sessions and strength testing are not billed as consults, so check your policy and the fees page before you book.
See fees and rebatesQuestions about rehab after surgery
Book a physioDo I need my surgeon's approval before starting rehab?
Before post-operative physio begins, follow the timing and restrictions your surgeon or hospital team gives you. Bring their protocol and any discharge notes to your first appointment so the physiotherapist can align rehab after surgery with that guidance before loading begins.
What if my surgeon has not given me a written protocol?
Bring discharge notes, current restrictions and any reports you have. Your physiotherapist can assess where you are now and contact your surgical team if missing guidance would change the plan.
How often will I need physiotherapy after surgery?
Review frequency is a clinical decision that changes by stage and by what each appointment shows. Your physiotherapist sets the next review from your presentation and the protocol rather than a fixed number of visits per week.
Can I start gym-based rehab while I am still on crutches?
That depends on your surgeon's restrictions and what the assessment shows. Some early work stays in the treatment room, while other exercises may start on the gym floor once weight bearing and movement limits allow.
What if swelling or pain increases during rehab?
Contact the physiotherapy team and follow your surgeon's advice if symptoms change. Your physiotherapist can review the exercises and loading, and seek updated surgical guidance when that is needed.
Can I start rehab at Adapt if my surgery was months ago?
Yes. The first appointment establishes your current movement, strength and any surgical guidance, regardless of when surgery occurred. The plan begins from that assessment rather than assuming you should already be at a particular stage.
Ask where your rehab should start
Tell us about the surgery, the guidance you have and what you need your rehab to prepare for, and the team can suggest the right first appointment.
Check our registration
Sam Baylis and John MacAuliffe are registered physiotherapists. Their profiles describe their roles, and the public register can be used to verify practitioner registration.
Last updated on 19 October 2026