By Pete Whitridge
This summer has already been quite a scorcher! On a practical note, please stay hydrated and cool during the day and especially, remind your elder clients to do the same. Dehydration is common in elders and can cause serious health complications.
I’m very excited to be teaching a brand new class in October: Enhancing Joint Replacement Outcomes. This class is designed to address confusions regarding joint replacements in general AND to enable you to confidently help and support your clients through all stages of their process. Reducing pain and increasing function will be our overall goal as well as helping you deepen your knowledge, skills, and abilities when confronted with a complex client base.
The class was inspired by my learned experience with Lee prior to, during, and after her hip replacement surgery in summer of 2025. It’s also based upon my client population that includes extensive reverse shoulder replacements, spinal fusions, full/partial ankle replacements, and various types of knee replacements (full, partial, patellar). Additionally, I lean into my diverse experiences with clients who have had amputations, complex fractures, and various and sundry other surgical interventions.
We will begin with pre-surgical education and cover various topics including “pre-hab”, preparing the home for convalescent care, and day of- and post-surgery realities. When focusing on the actual surgery, I’ll share videos of live and animated surgical interventions to help you to understand which muscles, tendons, and ligaments are affected by different joint replacement procedures. We’ll cover how the replacement hardware looks and feels to the therapist and to the client. The visuals I show will be tailored to the preferences of the class. For some people, an animation is plenty to understand the procedure. For others like me, I want to see the actual surgery, the incisions, and tools that are used so I can confidently discuss the effects of the surgery on the tissues and the whole body, as well as the psychological impact.
In addition to exploring the technology and artistry of the surgery, we’ll discuss and practice what’s needed to help the client recover and feel supported post-surgery. We will address the practicalities of client safety, transfers, pain management, the use of heat and ice, and adjunctive ways to reduce/relieve post-surgery pain. We’ll focus on the use of massage and manual therapy skills to help the client feel confident and safe during their recovery and rehabilitation.
There will be some time on Sunday spent in live clinical practice. And I imagine some folks in class will probably have interesting stories to share regarding their own surgical experiences as well. There will be lots of time to give and receive bodywork, connect with
your fellow therapists, and spend time back on the beautiful property at FSM. I hope you’ll join me for an engaging and informative bodywork weekend!
Enhancing Joint Replacement Rehabilitation – Register here
Visit Whitridgewellness.com to see other upcoming classes.
