I strongly recommend against stays in an inpatient rehab facility. The only time that I think this is required is in patients who are unable to arrange for any help at home, or those that have severe compounding disabilities that make walking with crutches extremely difficult. It has been shown that patients going to rehab units have a significantly higher risk of infection. Sick people tend to congregate in these units; it is best to stay away from them. If you need extra help that family and friends are not available for, home health aides can be hired from a home health agency to come assist you. In the Columbia area this costs about $17 / hour with a 3-hour daily minimum; insurance does not cover this.

Formal Physical Therapy is not required after you leave the hospital. The exercises are easy to perform on your own. We teach them to you in the hospital and send you home with an instruction sheet. At 6 weeks we advance you to the phase II program which is also easy to learn and to perform without supervision. If you see me in the office for the 6-week follow-up, we will instruct you in the phase II exercises, if you choose remote follow-up, you will arrange for a one-time visit with a PT to learn the phase II program. If you insist, I will provide you with a physical therapy prescription for more than one visit after 6 weeks. In the typical case extra PT is a waste of money, in some special circumstances it can be helpful.