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It’s normal to feel nervous when you arrive at the hospital. But rest assured, knee and hip replacements tend to have very good results. The hospital staff will do whatever they can to answer your questions and make the day easier on you. Here is what you can expect on the day of your surgery.
Joint replacement surgery is painful, but it is a different type of pain than what you have been feeling. The good news is that the discomfort should lessen greatly over the first several days.
0 No pain or discomfort.
1 or 2 Minor pain or discomfort; does not interfere with participation in activities or interactions with others.
3 or 4 Somewhat limits or prevents participation in activities; limits ability to concentrate or interact with others; interferes with appetite or sleep; causes irritability.
5 or 6 Interferes with restful sleep; decreases appetite; increases heart and breathing rates, blood pressure, muscle tension, and irritability; causes nausea and depression over time; causes a desire to withdraw or severely limits interactions with others.
7 or 8 Continuous or frequent, even when still or at rest; causes increased breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension; prevents or seriously limits participation in meeting own basic needs; causes an inability to sleep or eat; prevents concentration and focus; causes depression and desire to isolate oneself from others.
9 or 10 Worst pain ever experienced or imagined; intolerable pain that interferes with all aspects of life; complete incapacitation that requires immediate medical evaluation and intervention.
Working with an incentive spirometer helps keep your lungs clear. It also strengthens your breathing muscles and helps prevent health problems such as pneumonia. For best results when using an incentive spirometer, follow the steps below.
1. Sit up and hold the spirometer upright. Make sure you do not tilt it.
2. Relax as you breathe out. When you have exhaled fully:
3. Inhale slowly and deeply. When your lungs feel full, note the volume level reached on the spirometer. Hold your breath until the ball or disk has been raised for at least three to five seconds.
Inhaling too quickly may set off an audible tone. If this happens, inhale more slowly.
4. Remove the mouthpiece. Exhale slowly. Take a few breaths, then repeat the exercise.
Day of Surgery You will be on bed rest the day of your surgery, but your physical therapist (PT) may work with you later in the day. He or she may have you sit up on the side of the bed, stand, and then walk a few steps. It is not unusual for you to feel lightheaded, weak, and sometimes nauseated the first time you get up after surgery.
Post-Op Day 1 The next day your PT will teach you how to get out of bed, transfer into a chair, and how to use a walker. Your PT will work with you twice a day, morning and afternoon. During this time:
Hygiene Your nurse will assist you with a sponge bath. He or she will also provide you with the items you need for self-care.
Post-Op Day 2 The goal of the second day after surgery is to prepare you for discharge. This may happen after your surgeon and PT determine you are physically fit to return home. During this day, you’ll also:
Post-Op Day 3 Your surgeon may discharge you on the third day post-op depending on your progress and readiness to go home. The surgeon may also recommend that you go to a rehabilitation facility for a short time for more extensive physical therapy before you return home.
