The person doesn’t have to stay in your home 24 hours a day for your full recovery. But make sure they can stay with you at least during the day when you’ll need help moving around and getting meals. If you don’t have a support network, inform your doctor. They may be able to arrange a home care worker while you recover. They may also suggest a rehab center. You also won’t be able to drive for 4-6 weeks after the surgery. If you drive regularly, arrange for someone to drive you to work, the store, and other places you have to go.
Do a trial run and try walking around your home with a walker or crutches. Find any spots that are difficult to maneuver around and move items around to fix that. You may even find it easier to use a wheelchair for a few days after surgery, especially if you had both knees replaced at the same time. Consult your doctor about renting one, and make room for it in your home.
Alternatively, climb the stairs once to get up to your bedroom, and stay there for a few days. Make sure someone is around to help you get up the stairs.
Handle kits are available from hardware stores. Most attach to the wall with screws. Make sure these handles are secure. Test them out by pulling on them and making sure they support your weight. If one breaks while you’re recovering, you could face serious injury. If you aren’t confident in your own ability to install the handles, bring in a professional or a handy friend to do the job.
Modified toilet seats like these are available from medical supply stores. Hospitals sometimes give you temporary equipment like this to help with your recovery. Speak with your doctor about renting one. This may be covered by your insurance plan.
Talk to your doctor about what you do and when you’ll be able to return to work. Your doctor can give you the best recommendation. Remember that commuting to work will still be difficult. Try to arrange for someone to drive you for at least the first week of your return. If you can’t take off a lot of time at work for financial reasons, speak with your boss about coming in and doing reduced work. For example, you can still speak with customers and fill out paperwork, but can’t do any heavy lifting. This way you can still get paid without risking your recovery.
Common instructions are no eating or drinking for a few hours before the surgery, cleaning the surgical area, not wearing makeup, and leaving valuable items at home. There are also pre-surgical tests like x-rays, blood tests, and EKGs. Do all of these tests in the days leading up to the surgery.
If you’re squeamish or don’t like hearing about surgeries, investigating the procedure could backfire. Know your own limits and don’t learn more than you’d want to know. Also be careful what sources you use. Look for reputable medical articles, rather than articles that focus on horror stories and worst-case-scenarios.
Surgeons are usually trained to spot anxiety in their patients, so even if you don’t tell them, they’ll probably see that you’re nervous. It’s better to just let it out and talk through your fears.
See if the hospital has a support group or counselor available to talk to. Take advantage of these resources to help your anxiety. There are also online message boards and support groups. Do an internet search for “knee surgery support groups” to see if there is an online group you could join for comfort.
Make arrangements for someone to take care of your children, pets, and home while you’re in the hospital. Your doctor might recommend a rehab facility after leaving the hospital. Speak with your doctor to see if this is the right option for you.
Don’t expect many visitors on the day of your surgery. You’ll probably be too weak to see many people. Nausea is a common side effect of anesthesia. Don’t be surprised if you vomit a few times in the day after your surgery. If you know that you have issues with nausea from anesthesia due to a past experience, make sure to tell the anesthesiologist. They can give you medication to help ease the nausea after your surgery.
Keep your knees sedentary until the nurses tell you to start moving them. Usually, the doctor wants to let the knees heal for about a day after surgery. Stop moving your feet if the nurses tell you to stop.
Put most of your weight on the walker when you take your first steps. Putting the weight on your legs will be too painful at this point. These exercises will be painful, but communicate your pain to the nurses. If something seems extremely painful and too much for you to bear, tell them and stop the exercise. The nurses or doctor may also tell you which motions to do at home during your recovery. Pay attention to make sure you understand. Ask for all the instructions in writing if you can’t keep track of them.
Having the pain under control is another common milestone. If you’re still in pain after taking painkillers, the hospital may not discharge you. Usually, patients who are in good shape before surgery reach these milestones sooner. If you’re out of shape, consider exercising a bit leading up to your surgery to try and shorten your hospital stay.
Always wash your hands before and after touching the wounds. Never pull or rip the gauze off. If they’re stuck use water and gently work them off.
Call your doctor right away if you spot any signs of an infection.
Antibiotics and painkillers may upset your stomach. Take them with a light meal to avoid stomach issues. Painkillers are potentially addictive. Only take them as prescribed and don’t double-up on doses.
Keep your legs straight by sleeping with a pillow under your calves. Don’t place the pillow under your knees. This will be comfortable, but it’ll make your knees bend. You might find it more comfortable to sleep in a reclining chair than in bed.
Shower with someone nearby in case you need help getting in and out. This is especially important to prevent falls. Check with your doctor before taking a bath. It’s harder to keep your incisions dry with a full bath, so follow your doctor’s guidelines.
Physical therapy will be painful in the beginning, but stay strong. It’s part of the healing process. Also do your work outside of physical therapy. Do any exercises that the therapist tells you to. This will speed your recovery.
Ask your doctor for a recommendation on the type of compression stockings to use. Staying active is another way to avoid blood clots. Move around as much as you can, even if it isn’t much. While you’re sitting down, move your feet and toes to keep circulation up. The symptoms of a blood clot are pain and swelling in your legs below the knee, and skin discoloration. Contact your doctor right away if you notice these signs.
Don’t climb on anything until you’re fully healed. Speak with your doctor if any activities cause you a lot of pain. If you’re still on painkillers, avoid operating cars or other motor vehicles until you’re no longer taking them. Make sure you’re able to press down both pedals before driving.
