Knee Replacement Surgery | Outpatient Hip & Knee,Dr. Richard Berger (2024)

• Cancel any dental appointments that fall between 3 weeks prior to surgery and three months after surgery.
• Avoid any injections into your surgical joint for 3 months prior to surgery.

In-home physical therapy

• Dr. Berger’s patient services coordinator, DeAnna, will contact you prior to surgery to arrange your discharge plan. This includes services at your hotel as well as at your home, if applicable.
• Home Health Services will be set up for 3x/week for two weeks or until you are ready to progress into outpatient physical therapy.

Outpatient physical therapy

• You are responsible for setting up your outpatient physical therapy visits. Select an outpatient facility that is convenient for you and takes your insurance.
• You will be given an outpatient physical therapy prescription from our office; there is also a copy in your spiral-bound book.
• You will go to outpatient physical therapy 3 times a week for 6 weeks.

Goals to Achieve by 3 Weeks

1. Bend your knee at least 110 degrees (flexion)
2. Straighten knee to 0 degrees (extension)
3. Ambulate at least 2 blocks without an assistive device
4. Independent with activities of daily living (i.e. showering, dressing, etc.)

Dr. Berger will prescribe post-operative medications for each patient after surgery. A multi-modal approach is utilized to adequately control pain and minimize risk factors after surgery for a desirable recovery and ideal outcome.

When you are ready for prescription refills, contact one of the nurses in the office during normal business hours (Monday through Friday, 7 am – 5 pm). Refills can be authorized to your local pharmacy. You will need to provide us with your local pharmacy phone number, the name of the medication you need to be refilled, and your birthdate.

WEEK 1:

RICE

• R = Rest
  We want you to be up and moving but do this in moderation. We recommend you rest the first 5-7 days after surgery. DO NOT OVERDO IT. Increased activity means increased swelling. By decreasing the swelling early you will recover quicker. We recommend small bouts of activity throughout the day. Get up and walk around the house a little bit every hour-to-hour and a half that you are awake.
• I = Ice
  Ice as much as possible the first week to two weeks. ice is a great anti-inflammatory and helps minimize swelling. you may apply an ice massage over the knee, the quadriceps muscle (muscle located on the front of the thigh), the hamstring muscle (muscle located on the back of the thigh) and the calf.
  • • We will provide you with an ice machine the day of your surgery.
• C = Compress
  The TED hose compression stockings provide compression and help minimize swelling. Keep the stockings on during the day and take them off at night for the first 3 weeks after your surgery. The stockings go on both legs.
• E = Elevate
  Elevating your leg will help reduce swelling. To reduce significant amounts of swelling elevate your leg 4-5 times a day for 15-30 minutes each time. Do this by lying flat with the ankle above your knee and your knee above your heart.

WEEK 2:

• You may start using heat to help decrease bruising. Place a hot pack/heating pad over the front and back of the thigh (quadricep and hamstring muscles) and on the calf muscle. Try heat 3 times a day for 20 minutes each time. Using heat will increase your flexibility and make exercising easier. Alternate the heat and ice. Heat before you stretch/exercise and use ice after activity.
• Start outpatient physical therapy.
• Focus on range of motion, exercises, initiate strengthening and increase walking distance.
• Return to driving.

WEEKS 3-6:

• Ease into physical activity.
• Continue outpatient physical therapy.
• Return to work.
• Significant reduction in swelling.