HiFlex Health & Performance

Recovery after surgery can feel overwhelming — especially in the first few weeks when everything is new and your body is still adjusting.

Many patients aren’t sure what soreness is normal, how much activity is too much, or how to balance protecting healing tissue while still making progress.

These five simple post-op rules can help keep you on track during the early phases of recovery - from managing pain and swelling to communicating with your care team and staying consistent with your home exercises.

We expand on these ideas in a blog post explaining what recovery after surgery actually looks like and what patients should realistically expect during rehab.

Read the full article here: https://www.hiflexhealth.com/what-to-really-expect-after-surgery/

If surgery is in your future or you’re currently in recovery, this is a helpful resource to save.

Recovery after surgery isn’t just about hitting a certain number of weeks on the calendar.

Good post-operative rehab follows a progression. Early on, the focus is protecting healing tissue and calming the system. As recovery continues, rehab shifts toward rebuilding strength, restoring control, and helping the body move confidently again in real-life activities.

Progress isn’t always perfectly linear — and that’s normal. The goal isn’t just to feel better quickly, but to build a durable recovery that lasts.

In this episode of the HiFLEX Health & Performance Podcast, Dr. Chelsea Smith and Physical Therapy Assistant Simon Ibrahim explain what effective post-op rehab actually looks like and why patience, education, and communication with your care team matter so much.

🎧 Listen to the full episode:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6KWfMXS8MSBfnkct8yC6oU?si=Phkrd5GiSjyDYwKEWlGkoA

Learn more about HiFLEX Health & Performance:
https://www.hiflexhealth.com

Surgery is often treated like the finish line - the thing that will finally fix the problem.
But for most people, surgery is just the beginning of recovery.

Healing takes time, and progress doesn’t always move in a straight line. Feeling better doesn’t automatically mean your body is ready for everything you want it to do.

In our latest episode of the HiFLEX Health & Performance Podcast, Dr. Chelsea Smith and Physical Therapy Assistant Simon Ibrahim explain what patients can realistically expect after surgery and how to approach recovery with clarity, patience, and confidence.

🎧 Listen to the full episode — https://youtu.be/mOgt5SJD5I4

Treated a patient for neck pain who happened to have been dealing with tooth pain for 2 years. She had a root canal a year ago to address this but unfortunately had no long term change to the tooth pain.

Needled her upper cervical as well as nerve points and muscular points that refer to the top teeth. Replicated her tooth pain.

Today? I get this text. Love to see it! My job is cool.