People who have had a knee replacement can take the following precautions to protect their new knees post-surgery. These tips will help you to increase your comfort and decrease the risk of injuries.
1.Use Walker or Cane
A walker or cane can be used to ensure that a person does not fall or have reduced chances of damaging his/her knee. Walkers or canes work as signals for strangers to be cautious and give the person more space. Strangers in public areas are generally less likely to bump, jostle a person who is using a cane or walker. However, most surgical knee replacement patients can decrease their use of canes and walkers over time.
2 .Treat the Pain
Some patients endure the pain because they are not willing to take pain medications either because of side-effects or fear of addiction. However, uncontrolled pain makes it even more difficult to participate in rehabilitation exercise and can lead to chronic pain. Knee replacement patients are always advised to talk to their doctors regarding their post-surgical pain as well as concerns regarding medications. The doctor can help in planning the pain management that works for the patient.
3 .Treat the Swelling
Knee swelling feels uncomfortable and can make a range of motion exercises difficult or impossible. Exercises are important for recovery and rehabilitation for patients who have undergone a surgical knee replacement. Patients can take steps to treat swelling by applying cold packs and elevating the affected leg for 20 to 30-minute intervals, as directed by the doctor. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which are used for pain control can be used to reduce inflammation.
4. Plan well in advance
In the first couple of weeks after the knee replacement surgery, many people are tired and prone to falls. People should maximize their rest time and reduce the chances of falls by planning. For example, You can plan to minimize the number of trips up and down the stairs.
5. Communicate your priorities to the physical therapist
A physical therapist can help to plan and personalize a rehabilitation program to help the patient to reach certain goals. No matter what the patient’s goals are, physical therapy is essential to treat knee replacement. Patients who attend physical therapies and do their exercises daily have better outcomes and recover much sooner.
The patients are advised to follow their physical therapy exercises regularly to maintain strong muscles around the knee which helps in supporting the artificial knee. They should ensure that they do not suffer from any infections. An infected artificial knee may require an operation. Patients are advised to follow-up with an orthopedist every year to get their knee checked to avoid any complications.
Gujarat Superspeciality Hospital provides knee replacement cure and surgeries and ensures that the patient receives the best medical care before and after the surgery.
