Post-Operative Rehabilitation — Physiotherapy in London & Henley

Most surgeons want rehab to start within the first 1 to 2 weeks post-op, often sooner for joint replacement or ACL reconstruction. The exact timing comes from your surgeon's protocol — bring it to your first appointment. Starting too late costs range of motion and function that takes much longer to recover; starting at the right time is one of the biggest single drivers of long-term outcome.

Yes, where the surgeon supplies a written rehab protocol or wants direct communication. We work with most major London orthopaedic surgeons and their protocols regularly. If your surgeon hasn't given you a protocol we'll proceed using current best-practice guidance for your specific procedure and adapt to the operative notes you bring.

It depends on the surgery. Total hip replacement: 8 to 12 weeks for most independence and function. Total knee replacement: 12 to 16 weeks. ACL reconstruction with return-to-pivoting sport: 9 to 12 months with structured testing. Rotator cuff repair: 6 to 9 months for full return to overhead sport. We'll give you an honest projection at the first appointment based on your specific procedure and starting point.

Most major UK insurers cover post-op physiotherapy when it is part of the agreed surgical care pathway — Bupa, Cigna, Vitality, WPA, and Simply Health all reimburse with prior authorisation. The number of covered sessions varies by policy; we will help you stretch the cover as far as it sensibly goes and discuss self-funded continuation if more rehab is genuinely needed.