Knee replacement surgery for Fox Valley residents can sound scary. You may be worried that the surgery will limit your mobility and make day-to-day tasks extremely challenging. And while these things can happen, there are a few things you can do to help speed up your recovery and make it a much faster and less painful process. Here are four tips to a fast recovery.
1. Follow Your Physical Therapist’s Instructions
Compared to other major replacement surgeries, following this procedure, you can still function well. You will have some limitations but you can generally get around and walk a few hours following the surgery with the help of other individuals and equipment to stabilize you. You will also begin visiting a physical therapist shortly after the procedure to learn various exercises to strengthen the leg and help speed up the recovery. You want to ensure that you don’t lose any range of motion following the procedure, and by following the instructions of the physical therapist, you will be up and going in little time.
2. Don’t Baby It
While this surgery is invasive and painful, you should not sit around waiting for it to heal. Your body needs to move to ensure you don’t lose your range of motion. You need to get up and walk regularly. By the time you are discharged from the hospital, you will most likely be able to get around the with the help of crutches or a walker. Try to use these devices instead of always leaning on someone else or asking them to do things for you.
3. You Can Live a Normal Life
After the surgery, you will likely spend several days in the hospital. However, once you are discharged, you should be able to function as normal as possible. You can get dressed, eat, and move with the help of a device. However, there are some tasks you may not be able to perform, such as driving or climbing up stairs. You will need to talk to your doctor about any limitations you may have to your day-to-day life.
4. You Can Begin Regular Exercising Again
Approximately three to four months following the procedure, you will be strong enough that you can begin a regular exercise regimen. You may need to take it slow at first but you can begin playing many sports, running, walking, swimming, etc. Again, you will need to talk to your doctor to discuss any activities he or she may not want you to participate in until you are completely recovered.
While a knee replacement can be an inconvenience, it doesn’t have to be life-changing. By following the above tips, you can get back to your active life once again.
If you would like to request a consultation with one of the knee replacement specialists at the Orthopedic & Sports Institute (OSI), please call (920) 560-1000 or request an appointment online. OSI is Northeast Wisconsin’s exclusive provider of Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery for Hips & Knees.
OSI has convenient locations to serve you. In addition to the flagship facility in Appleton, you will find outreach clinics in New London, Ripon, Shawano, Waupaca, and the newest location serving the Green Bay area, inside the NOVO Health Clinic in De Pere.
The Appleton location also has a walk-in clinic that provides care for new orthopedic injuries.
For post-surgical recovery and rehabilitation, Recovery Inn is located on the OSI Appleton campus. Recovery Inn – the first orthopedics-only recovery facility in the nation attached to a surgery center – feels more like a hotel than a medical facility. At OSI, you can have your surgery and recover without leaving the building. Physical and occupational therapy take place steps from your room, where you will be rehabbing with the nationally recognized therapists from Advanced Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine.
For more information or to schedule a tour, please contact Recovery Inn Executive Director Shaena Van Handel at (920) 560-1066.
OSI is a proud member of NOVO Health.