When you have opted for knee replacement surgery, you probably imagine the best to happen. You anticipate that life after the surgery is going to be great just as it was before the knee replacement surgery. To a great extent, there is nothing wrong about being positive about the whole process. But this kind of vast change takes a lot of effort and knee replacement therapy. This means that you must be proactive so that the healing process definitely brings out a successful outcome.
True, once you have gone through the knee replacement surgery, it would be possible for you to resume most activities. But avoid placing excessive demands on your new knee for the first six weeks. After all, your focus should be to adapt to the new knee and resume your movements safely.
Although your first impulse would be to simply take complete rest after the knee replacement surgery, it is important to work on early mobilization. If you feel considerable pain in your knee, this may be due to the fact that your leg muscles are weak. So you have to build up strength in your quadriceps muscles. This, in turn, will help you to develop control of your new joint. That is why most surgeons recommend early activity as the best antidote to counteract the effects of the anesthesia and trigger faster healing. Consult all these aspects with your doctor and a physical therapist. They will be able to provide you with specific instructions on wound care, pain control, diet, and exercise.
Remind yourself that proper pain management is a must for knee replacement therapy and bring in early recovery. Although pain after surgery may be quite variable, it is something that can be controlled with the right kind of medication. Initially, your doctor may let you use pain control medication through an intravenous (IV) tube. This is recommended as it enables you to regulate the amount of medication that you require. Never forget the fact that it is always easier to prevent pain than to control pain.
As part of post operative care, antibiotics and blood-thinning medication will be administered to you. This is meant to help prevent blood clots from forming in the veins of your thighs and calves. Blood clots are a serious complication that doctors want to avoid so it is important that you cooperate with them as part of the knee replacement therapy.
Most patients tend to lose their appetite and feel nauseous or constipated for a couple of days. If you experience such symptoms, don't press the panic button and worry endlessly as these are normal reactions. You may be fitted with a urinary catheter during surgery. You may also be given stool softeners or laxatives to tackle the problem of constipation after surgery. In addition, you will be taught some valuable breathing exercises. These exercises would help to prevent congestion from developing in your chest and lungs.
As an integral part of your knee replacement therapy, a physical therapist will typically visit you on the day after your surgery. The job of the therapist would be to brief and teach you about how to use your new knee. Follow the directions of the therapist and let's definitely see you recover as early as possible!
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