Optimising recovery from abdomen and chest surgery
What happens after major surgery?
Major surgery, such as appendectomies, laparoscopies, IVF, bowel resections, c-sections and hysterectomies, can create changes in your respiratory system and restrict the slide and glide of your organs. So, sooner or later after surgery it’s pretty common to experience musculoskeletal and gut issues with a range of symptoms, such as:
How can I improve my recovery from surgery? Preventative physio.
Ideally, you’ve been proactive about your recovery and booked an appointment with us a few months before your operation. But if not, the week before is better than nothing! That way we can work on optimising your breathing, alignment, movement and organ mobility, improve your post-op recovery time and reduce complications.
AND/OR: Post-op recovery
We can treat you after you’ve had your operation and work on specific problems. We’ll start with a Physiotherapy assessment and create a treatment plan that will likely include:
Physiotherapy that may include breathing exercises, scar tissue release, alignment optimisation, pelvic floor optimisation, diaphragm and abdominal lengthening and strengthening, rehabilitation exercises, visceral manipulation for organ mobility
Classes - Introduction to Strength Training, unwind (stretching, releasing and mobility exercises), DIY scar tissue release
Shortness of breath
Abdominal/pelvic pain
Musculoskeletal pain - usually back or rib pain
Problems with scar tissue healing
Restricted movement
IBS
Constipation
Diarrhoea
Reflux
Heartburn
Gut Health
Having good gut health and hormone balance will aid a life full of vitality and energy, allowing you to live fully and thrive.
Researchers are increasingly in agreement that your gut microbiome is actually your body’s most important organ. These trillions of microbes in your intestines are crucial for your health, and they communicate with your brain, immune system and other organs. Optimal gut function is also linked with the hormones within your body, which need to be balanced for you to thrive.
Hormone imbalance and gut problems can cause all sorts of issues, including obvious ones such as problems with your bowel, and weight gain. But also some problems which you might not expect, such as anxiety, fatigue, eczema or brain fog. Poor digestion and inflammation can have a knock-on effect to all areas of your body, so we want to get to the root cause of the problem and treat you with the right therapies to bring about optimal hormone balance and a healthy gut microbiome.
Common issues you may be experiencing:
IBS
Constipation and diarrhoea
Low mood/anxiety
Brain fog
Poor sleep
Fatigue
Inflammation eg. eczema, arthritis
Reflux
Pelvic congestion - affects the pelvic floor and breath
Musculoskeletal symptoms
Treatments
We take a whole body approach to gut and hormone health, as we aren’t just treating your organs, we’re treating the whole body to allow your organs to be mobile. We may use a number of techniques to help you including:
Physiotherapy - to optimise breath by ensuring mobility in your diaphragm and pelvic floor; to allow your body to self-massage the organs with every breath (thousands per day) - includes Visceral manipulation - to optimise movement and blood-flow to the organs. For example, your liver is your detox centre, so if it has lost mobility, your body’s ability to deal with inflammation or process toxins may be compromised
Nutrition - for deeper healing, inflammation, poor digestion, persistent weight gain/loss, allergies and more specific problems, our Nutritionist provides expert advice to help you thrive and live life full of energy and comfort. This is through one-to-one appointments and group talks.