Tips for First Week after Total Knee Joint Replacement Surgery

The very first knee replacement successfully took place in 1968 and since then it has no looking back. And if we estimate total number of total knee replacements that take place annually in a country would be 600,000. This surgery is considered as one of the most successful operations in the medical field and all the credit for this goes to the materials and surgical techniques that has grown over the time. On the other hand, these advancements have resulted in comparatively shorter hospital stays. But, this also means that there’s more responsibility on the patient for managing their own recovery. One of the toughest periods after the surgery could be the first week just after surgery. Thus, here we are providing the helpful tips by the best orthopedic doctor in Bhopal for helping you manage those times.

• Keep the Joint Moving: This is one of the most important pieces of advice to remember. You must maintain mild movement in the joint so that it can help to improve the pain. Most of the people think that they need to rest joints and muscles so as to help relieve pain, but you must remember that the repaired joints will actually hurt less with motion. Also, it will circulate blood, prevent clots and reduces swelling.
• Manage Swelling: On one hand, some swelling occurring in the area could be a good sign as it shows recovery, but too much of the swelling can result in increasing pain and knee stiffness. Thus, it is vital that you know how to manage your swelling. Your orthopedic doctor in Bhopal would advice you some of the medications which will help in controlling the inflammation. Thus, ensure that you take all the medicines on time.
• Keep the Muscles in Working: The surgery typically shuts the muscles “off” and thus is the patient’s duty to turn them “on” so as to get them in working pattern again. You don’t need to worry about building the strength, instead, focus much on the movement. It is vital that you bend, straighten, and squeeze the muscles at least once in an hour. This will gradually result in increasing the strength.
• Don’t Ditch the Walker too early: Each and every one who has undergone the knee joint replacement surgery wants to ditch the walker early just because of the fact that they remind them of their mortality. However, the best orthopedic doctor in Bhopal advices the patients to keep the walker at least until you are no longer limping. Thus, stick to it with the walker or a cane for a little while longer.