Recovering from any surgery would require the help and support of people around you, especially of your doctor and medical team along with your friends and family members. The initial days following the knee replacement surgery can be difficult for the patient as the pain from surgery may persist. Also, carrying out daily activities or doing things by themselves would be difficult as you may be in recovery period.

Let’s find out certain tips to keep in mind following the knee replacement surgery

Start with the basics:

Once you get discharged from the hospital, it doesn’t mean that you have fully recovered. The complex phase will be over once you leave the hospital. Setting up your home for complete recovery would be done and it should be equipped with things you may need like pillows to elevate your legs, ice pack to get pain relief, phone to ease out communication with others, medications, walkers, clothes and clean sheets to sleep, sterilized dressing materials for your knee. Having someone at your house would also be good so that you can have food and medicines on time and can call them for help if needed

Medications and wound care:

As mentioned earlier, if someone is there to assist you or help you out, they can also help you in caring for your wound as well. Gathering the medications, administering them on time and re-stocking them according to the needs should be done by the person who helps you out. Monitoring the wound for any swelling or inflammation, dressing the wound at regular intervals, re-stocking bandages and other medicines as needed can also be done by the person who assists you

Exercises:

Rehabilitation exercises or Physiotherapy sessions are available for the patients post surgery. Doctors usually recommend 30 minutes of walking, at least three times per day for a patient in recovery. You may feel exercising as painful but it is normal and this rehabilitation process can ease and speed up the recovery

Watch for changes:

The caretaker or the person who underwent the surgery should keep a track of general health condition. If any visible changes are found, seek medical help immediately. There can be side effects from the medicine, complications of the surgery or visible changes in the wound which worsens everyday

Keep up with paperwork:

Knee replacement is a complex process where the relatives of the patient should handle a lot of matters such as medical bills, surgery bills, physiotherapy charges etc. Failing to handle the paperwork and bills on time can mentally impact the patient and immediate relatives. It can also lead to anxiety. If the paperwork is handled well, the patient can completely focus on the recovery without worrying much about the paperwork

Support of a caregiver is essential when a patient undergoes surgery and recovery process. Following the surgery, the patient should be emotionally and physically ready for their job and their life ahead.