Post-Surgery Care for Joint Replacement

Hip replacement surgery requires a few days of rest after the procedure to recover from the effects of the anesthetic and to give you time to heal. You should receive specific instructions regarding wound care, pain control, diet, and exercise from your doctor and physical and occupational therapists, as well as how much weight you put on your affected leg.

At first, you may receive pain medication through an intravenous (IV) line. After a day or two, however, this will be replaced with injections or pills to help reduce your initial discomfort. You will also need to take an antibiotic and blood thinner to prevent infection and the formation of blood clots in the veins of your leg.

During the first couple of days, you may lose your appetite and feel nauseous or constipated due to the pain medication. However, these are ordinary reactions. A urinary catheter may need to be inserted during surgery and you may be given stool softeners or laxatives to ease constipation after surgery.

A physical therapist will visit with you shortly after your surgery to show you how to use your new joint. It’s important to get moving as soon as possible following hip replacement surgery, even if it means pedaling your feet and pumping your ankles while in bed to get circulation in your legs. You may be required to wear elastic stockings and/or a pneumatic sleeve to encourage blood flow.

Typically, patients stay in the hospital 3 to 10 days. By then you’re able to perform certain household tasks. If you do go home, you will need help for several weeks. If unable to go straight home, you may need to spend additional time at a rehabilitation center.

Total Hip Replacement Exercise Guide

Regular exercise is essential to restoring normal hip motion and strength following total hip replacement surgery. During your early recovery, your orthopedic surgeon and physical therapist may recommend that you exercise 20 to 30 minutes twice or three times per day. The following are exercises they may recommend you perform while lying on your back with your legs spread slightly apart:

• Ankle Pumps
• Ankle Rotations
• Bed-Supported Knee Bends
• Buttock Contractions
• Abduction Exercise
• Quad Set
• Straight Leg Raises
• Standing Exercises
• Standing Knee Raises
• Standing Hip Abduction
• Standing Hip Extensions

Did you know that the knee is the largest joint in your body? As such, replacing it is considered major surgery. Despite this, early activity and mobilization following surgery is important to build up strength in your quadriceps muscles to develop control of your new knee joint, as well as to counteract the effects of the anesthesia and to encourage healing. As with any surgery, your orthopedic doctor and physical therapist will give you specific instructions regarding wound care, pain control, diet, and exercise.

Pain after knee replacement surgery is initially controlled with medication through an intravenous (IV) connection for a day or two, followed by injections or prescribed oral medication. You will also need to take an antibiotic and blood thinners to prevent infection and blood clots from developing.

At first, you will have a bulky dressing wrapped around your knee and a drain to remove any build-up of fluid around the knee for a day or two. You may also need to wear elastic hose and a plastic compression stocking sleeve that is connected to a machine that circles air around your leg to encourage normal blood flow.

Shortly after your surgery, a physical therapist will visit you to show you how to use your new knee and to suggest exercises you can do even when bed-ridden.  Also, you may be fitted with a continuous passive motion (CPM) machine. This will slowly and smoothly straighten and bend your knee.

Knee Arthroscopy Exercise Guide

For the most part, regular exercise to restore knee mobility and strength can be carried out at home. Typically, your orthopedic surgeon will recommend that you exercise 20 to 30 minutes twice or three times per day and engage in a walking program.

As your exercise program progresses, you may experience occasional knee swelling or pain. If this happens, stop what you’re doing until your knee feels better. You can also ice, compress with an elastic, and elevate your knee.

The initial postoperative exercise program recommended by your physical therapist may include:

• Hamstring Contraction
• Quadriceps Contraction
• Straight Leg Raises
• Buttock Tucks

Knee Replacement Exercise Guide

Ask your orthopedic doctor about the following exercises, which you can begin in the recovery room shortly after surgery. They may feel uncomfortable at first, but will speed your recovery and help reduce your post-operative pain:

• Quad Sets
• Straight Leg Raises
• Ankle Pumps
• Knee Straightening Exercises
• Bed-Supported Knee Bends
• Sitting Supported Knee Bends
• Sitting Unsupported Knee Bends

In order to help restore your normal shoulder motion and flexibility following shoulder surgery, your orthopedic surgeon and physical therapist may recommend the following exercises to be performed for 10 to 15 minutes 2 or 3 times per day:

• Pendulum, Circular
• Shoulder Flexion (Assistive)
• Supported Shoulder Rotation
• Walk Up Exercise (Active)
• Shoulder Internal Rotation (Active)
• Shoulder Flexion (Active)
• Shoulder Abduction (Active)
• Shoulder Extension (Isometric)
• Shoulder External Rotation (Isometric)
• Shoulder Internal Rotation (Isometric)
• Shoulder Internal Rotation
• Shoulder External Rotation
• Shoulder Abduction (Isometric)
• Shoulder Abduction (Isometric)