Rehabilitation Physiotherapy in Auckland
Surgery is only one part of the recovery process. What happens before and after your procedure can have a significant impact on your results, your confidence, and how quickly you return to daily life. At Cairnhill Physiotherapy, we provide comprehensive pre and post-operative rehabilitation programmes tailored to your surgery, goals, and current level of function.
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Common Conditions Requiring Rehabilitation
At Cairnhill Physiotherapy, our rehabilitation physiotherapists provide expert care for a wide range of surgery injuries. Some of the most common injuries we treat include:
Knee Surgery Rehabilitation
We regularly assist patients following ACL reconstruction, meniscus surgery, knee arthroscopy, and total knee replacement procedures. Rehabilitation focuses on restoring movement, rebuilding strength, reducing swelling, and improving stability.
Shoulder Surgery Rehabilitation
Recovery following rotator cuff repairs, labral repairs, shoulder stabilisation surgery, and other procedures often requires structured rehabilitation to regain strength and restore normal shoulder function.
Hip Surgery Rehabilitation
Whether you’re recovering from hip arthroscopy, tendon repair, or hip replacement surgery, our rehabilitation physiotherapy Auckland team can help improve mobility, strength, and movement quality throughout recovery.
Achilles Tendon & Ankle Surgery
Following Achilles tendon repair, ankle reconstruction, or fracture fixation surgery, progressive rehabilitation plays a key role in restoring confidence, balance, and lower limb strength.
Fracture Rehabilitation
Many fractures require ongoing rehabilitation after surgical intervention. We help patients regain movement, strength, and function while supporting a safe return to normal activities.
Meet Harley
He has a special interest in treating patients recovering from shoulder and knee surgery, as well as those with lower limb and sporting injuries. Harley offers a ‘hands on’ approach to a wide range of injuries. He specialises in formulating personalised exercise programmes for his patients’ rehabilitation, prevention of injuries and general wellbeing.
Read more about Harley
Why Choose Cairnhill Physiotherapy?
We combine clinical expertise, one-on-one care, and sport-specific rehabilitation to help athletes and active people recover properly and perform at their best.
We’ve been helping Aucklanders move, recover, and rebuild confidence for decades. That experience matters during rehabilitation, where progress can feel different from week to week, and reassurance is just as important as treatment.
No two surgeries, injuries, or recovery timelines are exactly the same. We tailor your rehabilitation physiotherapy around your procedure, current movement, pain levels, lifestyle, and the activities you want to return to.
When extra input is needed, we can refer to and work alongside our network of orthopaedic surgeons, sports physicians, radiologists, and other health professionals.
Our fully equipped onsite gym allows us to move beyond the treatment bed and into practical, progressive rehabilitation. We can guide strength, mobility, balance, and movement exercises in a safe clinical setting.
Based in Epsom with free onsite parking, our clinic is easy to access throughout your rehabilitation programme, whether you’re attending regularly after surgery or checking in as you progress.
Our Rehabilitation Physiotherapy Services
Effective rehabilitation starts with understanding your surgery, injury, current movement, and recovery goals. Your first appointment includes a detailed assessment of your strength, mobility, joint function, and any challenges affecting your day-to-day activities, allowing us to create a rehabilitation programme tailored to your needs. Our team may then include:
Sports Massage
Targeted sports massage can help reduce muscle tension, improve circulation, and manage tightness that often develops during post-operative rehabilitation.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture may be used alongside other treatments to help manage pain, reduce muscle tension, and support recovery throughout the rehabilitation process.
Pilates & Onsite Gym Rehabilitation
Our Pilates programmes and fully equipped onsite gym provide a controlled environment to rebuild strength, improve movement quality, and progress your recovery safely.
Blood Flow Restriction Training
Blood flow restriction training allows patients to build strength using lighter loads, making it a useful rehabilitation tool when heavier resistance exercises may not yet be appropriate.
Range of Motion Exercises
Restoring movement is often a key part of surgical rehabilitation. We use targeted mobility exercises to improve joint function, reduce stiffness, and support confidence in movement.
Strengthening Exercises
Progressive strengthening exercises are tailored to your stage of recovery, helping you rebuild muscle strength, improve stability, and return to everyday activities, sport, or work.
A Structured Approach to Rehabilitation
Pre-Operative Rehabilitation
Following an injury, many surgeries will only take place once the affected area has regained a certain level of strength and function. Our pre-operative rehabilitation Auckland programmes are designed to help you improve mobility, build strength, and prepare both physically and mentally for surgery. We work closely with you to get you as mobile as possible following an injury and can refer you to our trusted network of orthopaedic surgeons, sports specialists, radiologists, and other health professionals when required.
Post-Operative Rehabilitation
It’s common to be somewhat apprehensive following surgery as to whether you are progressing well or if you are overdoing it and putting undue pressure on your recovering body. Our post-surgery rehabilitation physiotherapists will guide you through your rehabilitation process, monitor your progress and help you to understand your limitations. As part of your surgical rehabilitation, we’ll help you recognise safe progress, rebuild confidence in movement, and work steadily towards everyday activities, work, sport, or exercise.
Book A Rehabilitation Physiotherapy Appointment Today
Preparing for surgery or recovering afterwards can feel like a lot to manage, but you don’t have to work through it alone. Whether you need pre-operative rehabilitation in Auckland or support with post-operative rehabilitation, reach out to book an appointment with our friendly team.
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Rehabilitation Physiotherapy FAQs
No referral is needed. You can book directly with our rehabilitation physiotherapy Auckland team for assessment, treatment, and a personalised recovery plan.
Pre-operative rehabilitation helps improve strength, mobility, and movement before surgery. It can give your body a stronger starting point before your post-operative rehabilitation begins.
This depends on your injury, surgery date, and current movement. In general, starting prehab physiotherapy as early as possible gives us more time to improve strength, mobility, and confidence before surgery.
Post-surgery rehabilitation may include hands-on treatment, mobility exercises, strengthening work, scar tissue management, swelling advice, and guidance around safely returning to daily activities, work, sport, or exercise.
Yes. Postoperative physiotherapy can support recovery after procedures such as hip and knee replacements, ACL reconstruction, ankle reconstruction, shoulder surgery, and Achilles tendon repair.
It depends on what caused the need for surgery. If your injury resulted from an accident — a torn ACL, a fracture, a rotator cuff tear from a fall — your rehabilitation is usually covered under the same ACC claim as the surgery itself. ACC pays a portion of each treatment and a surcharge covers the rest. If you’re unsure whether your situation qualifies, mention it when you book and we can talk it through before your first appointment.
Yes. Procedures like knee or hip replacements for osteoarthritis are usually not ACC-funded, because they address wear and tear rather than injury. That doesn’t change the rehabilitation you receive with us, only how it’s paid for. These appointments are charged at our private rates, and if you hold health insurance your policy may cover some or all of the cost. We’re a Southern Cross Easy Claim provider, so we can check your cover at reception and bill Southern Cross directly where you’re eligible.
No. You can book directly with us at any stage — before surgery, immediately after, or partway through your recovery. If you have post-operative instructions or a rehabilitation protocol from your surgeon, bring it to your first appointment along with any scans or discharge notes. We’ll work within it and can communicate with your surgeon as your recovery progresses.
Other Services
Explore the rest of our physiotherapy services at the Epsom clinic.
Pilates
Physio-led reformer Pilates sessions for every ability, from rehab to general strength.
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Acupuncture
Used alongside physiotherapy to help manage pain, muscle tightness, swelling and restricted movement.
Learn more
Massage
Relaxation, therapeutic, sports and pregnancy massage, including neuromuscular work.
Learn moreOn-site Gym
A well-equipped rehabilitation gym to rehabilitate you from injury or prepare you for surgery.
Learn more