What Precautions Should One Take After a Knee Replacement Surgery | Dr Chirag Patel

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After going through a total knee replacement
surgery, there are certain precautions which you
must take in order to avoid any post-surgery
complications or damage and dislocation of your
replaced knee. Wound Care Since total knee
replacement is an invasive procedure, you will
have staples or sutures on your wound. You must
never try to cut these sutures at home. These
sutures will only be removed by a practiced
clinician after two weeks of the surgery. The
wound can get worse if the sutures are cut by
yourself. Do not soak the wound in water, it
should be properly dried and sealed. However, you
can keep bandaging your wound to keep it clean
and dry.
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• Prevention of Blood Clot
• There are chances of blood clot formation during
  the first few weeks of recovery. Therefore, your
  orthopedic surgeon may prescribe certain
  anticoagulants like aspirin and warfarin to
  prevent the clot formation. You must complete the
  anticoagulant therapy as recommended by your
  doctor. Also, you must stay vigilant regarding
  any sign of blood clot formation in your treated
  leg. These signs include
• Excessive pain in the calf.
• Redness, irritation and tenderness below or above
  the treated knee.
• Increased edema i.e. swelling in your ankle, calf
  or foot.
• If you encounter from any of these signs, contact
  your doctor on an immediate basis to get a timely
  treatment.

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• Physical Activity
• Right after your knee replacement surgery, your
  replaced joint may not be able to bear your total
  body weight. Your surgeon will guide you
  regarding how much weight you can easily put on
  your knee which wont cause any damage, injury or
  dislocation of your joint. As your replaced knee
  joint gains strength with time, you will be able
  to put your complete body weight on it without
  suffering from any harm. However, during the
  initial weeks, its advisable to use a cane or
  crutches for a support to walk around.
• Other instructions regarding proper body posture
  and physical activity include
• Do not twist or cross your legs.
• Sit in chairs which have seats as high as your
  treated knee.
• Do not keep standing for extended periods of
  time.
• Do not keep sitting for more than one hour at a
  time.
• Do not sleep on the body side which had the
  surgery.
• Climb one stair at a time.

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Use a Walker or Cane A walker or cane ensures a
person not to fall or damage the new knee.
Walkers and canes signals the strangers to be
cautious and give him/her more space. Strangers
in public areas are generally less likely to
bump, jostle or startle a person using a cane or
walker. Most knee replacement patients decrease
the usage of canes and walkers over time. Treat
the Pain Some patients are tempted to tough it
out because they do not want to take pain
medications, either because of potential side
effects or fear of addiction. However,
uncontrolled pain can make it difficult to
participate in rehabilitation exercises and can
even lead to chronic pain. Knee
replacement patients are advised to talk to the
doctors and know about post-surgical pain as well
as concerns regarding medications. With the help
of doctor, you can come up with a pain management
plan that works for you, making adjustments as
needed. Treat the Swelling Knee swelling is not
only uncomfortable it can make it
range-of-motion exercises difficult or
impossible. These range-of-motion exercises are
important to recover and rehabilitate. Patients
can treat the swelling by applying cold packs and
elevating the affected leg for 20 to 30 minute
intervals or as directed by the healthcare
provider. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(NSAIDs), which used for pain control also
reduces inflammation.
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Plan Ahead In the first couple of weeks of knee
replacement surgery, many people prone to falls.
People can maximize rest time and reduce the
chance of falls by planning ahead. For e.g., plan
the day to minimize the number of trips up and
down stairs or in and out of a car. About Dr
Chirag Patel  Dr Chirag Patel is one of the best
knee replacement surgeon in Surat, Gujarat
providing Total Hip Replacement and Total Knee
Replacement at Kiran Multi Super Speciality
Hospital Research Center, Nr Sumul Dairy, Surat
395004, info_at_drpatelchirag.com, 91 75 74 88 77
77.
Dr Chirag Patel M.B.B.S., M.S. (ORTHOPAEDICS) SPEC
IALIST HIP/KNEE JOINT REPLACEMENT
SURGEONSPECIALIST HIP/KNEE ARTHROSCOPY SURGEON
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CONTACT US
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Research Center, Nr Sumul Dairy, Surat - 39500
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