Knee Replacement: after the operation

Your hospital recovery

The key to your successful recovery is to move your knee as often as possible. The physiotherapist will be to see you soon after you return to the ward.

Your hospital stay will be a combination of rest and rehabilitation.

• Ted stockings
• At home rehab
• Incision care.
• Walking
• Expectations
• Caring for your knee

Ted Stockings.

Ted stockings (white) must be worn for 2 weeks following surgery, removing them at bedtime and putting them on prior to getting out of bed. The Ted stockings are available from the hospital on admission. The Ted stockings help with the decreased risk of deep vein thrombosis.

AT HOME

Incision Care.

The incision is sutured with skin staples. These need to be removed 10 days after surgery. You may change the dressing as needed to keep the dressing clean and dry. The nurses in the hospital will help you change the dressing if needed. You may not get the incision wet until the staples are removed, therefore, you must sponge bath. You may shower 2 days after sutures are removed, but may not bathe or swim until 2 weeks from the surgery date. You may apply Vitamin E or some moisturising lotion to the incision after the staples are removed. Some swelling and warmth is expected after surgery. If you develop increased redness, drainage, or a fever, please call the office immediately. Bruising around the thigh area is not uncommon. It may extend down into your ankle and will resolve in 10 – 14 days.

If you develop increased redness, drainage, or fever, please call the office.

Walking

Upon discharge from hospital you will be walking with crutches. You may discontinue using crutches after being assessed by Dr Kohan or Rebecca, on your postoperative visit.
After this time you may use a cane, or if you feel confident you may discontinue using any walking aids.
You may go up and down stairs as needed, but only straight legged for the first 2 weeks. After this time there should be enough flexibility and repair from the muscles around your knee

Expectations

Each individual has his/her own set of expectations. Our advice is designed to answer the most frequently asked questions of concern and each individual is different. Each patient is treated as an individual with general health, age and attitude considered.

An important thing to remember, you are not sick. You have a problem with your knee that needs to be fixed, so it’s important to consider yourself not sick. Therefore getting back on your feet after surgery is the most important goal. ‘Motion is Lotion.’

In the first week you may experience,

1. Swelling: from your thigh down into your foot is common.
2. Bruising: marked bruising can be found in some patients. This can be found from your thigh down into your foot.
3. Muscle soreness, your muscles can feel stiff and sore to touch.

For the first 2 weeks after surgery, your activity level is usually limited, however, you will be able to walk independently, use the bathroom and perform normal activities of daily living.

After 6 weeks you will be able to engage in moderate activities, i.e. driving a car and climbing stairs.

Within 8 weeks you will have resumed most of your normal activities. Complete surgical healing takes 6 – 8 weeks. During this time some swelling and discomfort is normal, and should be manageable with the prescribed medication.
The most important thing is to have a positive attitude.
Resurfacing the bones in your knee can relieve your pain and stiffness and return you to most of your activities you enjoy.

Physiotherapy

Gentle exercises helps strengthen the muscles around your new knee and regain your knees range of motion. As soon as possible, your physiotherapist helps you start walking, a few steps at a time, to promote healing. As you progress from a walker to crutches, and then a cane, you may feel somewhat off balance at first. Gait training helps you regain confidence and your normal walking motion before going home.

Caring for your Knee

Your knee prosthesis is the result of use of research. Like any other device, your new knee life span depends on how you care for it. In your follow-up visits, after surgery, we will follow your progress and answer any question you may have about caring for your new knee.

IMPORTANT: IF YOU NEED DENTAL TREATMENT If you are undergoing any of the following dental treatments: Dental extraction. Periodontal procedures. Dental Implants. Endodontic (root canal) Intraligamentary local anaesthetic injections. Prophylactic cleaning of teeth where bleeding anticipated. And you are in one of these categories: All patients during the first 2 years after surgery. Immunocompromised and immunosupressed. Inflammatory Arthritis. Drug induced immunosupressed. Radiation inducted immunosupressed. Malnourishment. Hemophila. You MUST take an antibiotic to protect your joint from infection: We suggest these Antibiotic Prophylaxis Regimens Patients NOT allergic to penicillin: Cepalexin or Amoxicillin 1 gram orally 1 hour prior to dental surgery. No second dose required Unable to take orally: Cefazolin 1 gram or Ampicillian 2 grams, IM/IV 1 hour prior to dental procedure. No second dose required ALLERGY to penicillin Clindamycin 600mgs orally or Clindamycin 600mgs IV/IM 1 hour prior to dental procedure No second dose required

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