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Recovery is phases, not a countdown
Every orthopedic recovery moves through the same broad phases: protect (let biology start), restore motion (before strength — stiffness is the enemy that's hardest to evict later), rebuild strength, and finally retrain the specific capacity you actually need — the jump, the ladder climb, the eighteen holes.
The calendar estimates those phases; it doesn't define them. Testing does. That's why two patients with the same surgery can be cleared months apart and both be right on time.
Expect plateaus — they're part of the design
Progress in rehabilitation is stair-stepped, not linear. Plateaus lasting a week or two are normal biology consolidating gains, not evidence of failure. The pattern that matters is the month-over-month trend line.
What speeds recovery (and what doesn't)
The evidence-backed accelerators are unglamorous: doing the home program at the prescribed dose, sleep, protein, and managing swelling early. The false accelerators — skipping phases, testing the joint 'just to see' — are how setbacks are manufactured.
Key takeaways
- 01Motion first, then strength, then sport — in that order
- 02Plateaus are normal; the monthly trend is the signal
- 03The home program is the recovery — the clinic visits are the checkpoints
The information on this site is for education only and is not a medical diagnosis or a substitute for professional medical advice. Every patient is different — please consult Dr. Johnson or a qualified provider about your specific condition.