At the age of 16, I started exercising regularly. This decision drastically changed my life for the better. I lost an enormous amount of weight and went down three dress sizes. Unfortunately, I had to undergo orthopedic surgery 8 years ago to remove torn cartilage from my left knee. After my surgery, I was afraid to work out due to the continual swelling in my knee. Thankfully, I made an appointment with my orthopedic doctor to talk about this issue. This medical professional prescribed a comfortable and protective knee brace for me to wear while exercising. On this blog, I hope you will discover how an orthopedic doctor can help you exercise again.
If your doctor has you scheduled for knee replacement surgery, you'll probably have time to fully prepare your home and make arrangements for help for you, your pets, and your family. If you're prepared when you go into surgery, you'll have peace of mind and you can focus on your recovery. Here are some things you may need to do to get ready for your knee replacement surgery and recovery at home.
Arrange Your Home With Safety In Mind
If your bedroom is upstairs, you may need to bring your bed to the lower level for a few weeks so you can stay away from the stairs until you've recovered. Have everything you'll need for dressing, grooming, and sleeping on the lower level and in a place that's easy to reach. You'll have trouble bending and reaching high places, so you may need to keep things counter-height for a few weeks if you don't have someone living with you to help. Also, you might need to rearrange furniture so you can get a walker to and from the places you need to go easily. Getting rid of area rugs is also a good idea since these can be a tripping hazard.
Buy The Recovery Supplies You'll Need
If you live alone, you'll want to stock up on food you like and can make easily since going to the grocery store won't be easy for several weeks. In addition to food, you may want things like a grab bar near the toilet and shower, an elevated toilet seat, a shower chair so you can bathe or shower easily, and a grabber tool so you can get things out of your reach. Your home should be set up and stocked for your recovery before you go in for your knee replacement surgery.
Follow Your Doctor's Preparation Instructions
Your doctor will provide you with instructions for getting ready to come to the hospital for your knee replacement surgery. They may tell you when to stop certain medications and supplements so they don't interfere with your body's ability to clot and stop bleeding. They'll also tell you when to stop eating before surgery and how to clean your body in preparation for the procedure. They may also advise you to stop smoking and drinking weeks before your operation. Your doctor might also arrange for you to have physical therapy to recover from your knee replacement once you've gone home, and they'll also supply you with recovery instructions for taking medications and caring for your surgical wound.
Make Arrangements With Your Caregiver
You'll need someone to help you home from the hospital after your knee replacement. It's also a good idea to have someone stay with you for the first few days to help with your needs. If you have young kids, you may need to arrange help with them since you won't be very mobile for a few weeks. If you live alone, it's a good idea to have someone check on you regularly to make sure you're able to fix your meals and you're not having any complications.
Contact a local doctor to learn more about knee replacement surgery.
Share14 June 2023
