Achieving Your Desired Outcomes
Your joint replacement surgery is behind you, but there are still some things you can do to ensure a full return to an active lifestyle
It’s been three months since you got your new knee or hip, and at this point, you should be continuing a regular exercise program to maintain the health of the muscles around your new joint. If you got a new hip, your surgeon will share any ongoing precautions with you. And if you got a new knee, kneeling on it may be uncomfortable, but it’s not harmful.
If you experience some pain or swelling in or around your new joint, it will likely respond to rest, ice packs, elevation, and anti-inflammatories. You’ll want to contact your surgeon if the pain or swelling lasts longer than a week or is particularly painful.
After three months, you’ll need to attend follow-up appointments with your surgeon every one to three years. Your surgeon will use X-rays to detect any problems with your knee or hip.
To help you maintain your health during your recovery and beyond, you can take advantage of HCM’s Cardiac Rehab program and HCM’s Wellness Center. Cardiac Rehab, located at HCM’s Outpatient Rehab facility, focuses on your heart health and fitness. The Wellness Center spans 20,000 square feet of equipment for strength training and cardiovascular fitness and includes an Olympic-size swimming pool. The center offers a wide range of classes and activities and provides free fitness assessments to help you determine which activities are best for you.
From the moment that you decide to do something about your knee or hip pain to the post-surgery moment when you realize you should have done something about it long before, HCM is by your side, leading you to a stronger and move active you.
Relief is possible. To get started, contact one of our Orthopedic Specialists today.