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Total Joint Replacement Surgery

While preparing for total joint replacement surgery at the JCMG Surgery Center, there are a few things to keep in mind. Please read over this information carefully, as following all of these instructions is crucial for a safe and rapid recovery from surgery.

Preparations at Home

In preparation for your surgery, there are a few things you can do to get your home ready.

  • Make sure that there are no loose throw rugs or cords on the ground that you could potentially trip over.
  • If you have a very low toilet seat, you may want to consider getting an attachable elevated toilet seat to make getting up and down from the commode easier.
  • If you have concerns about being able to stand in the shower immediately after surgery, you may want to rent or purchase a shower chair.
  • While you will be able to put all of your weight on your leg after your surgery, you will need to use a walker for balance. If you do not already have one, please contact us and we will be happy to provide one for you.
  • We recommend icing the area regularly after surgery. Ziploc bags of ice or frozen vegetables work just fine, but if you would prefer, you can purchase a polar care or ice chest machine either online or from our office.

Therapy Before and After Surgery

Physical therapy is extremely important in your recovery. We are going to have you do one or two sessions of physical therapy prior to your surgery where the therapist will instruct you on how to appropriately use the walker and give you some home exercises to work on. The therapist can also work with you on how to appropriately do stairs after surgery.

After the surgery, a physical therapist will come to your home within 48 hours to start working with you on your postoperative rehab. They will typically come to the house 3 to 4 times over the first couple of weeks, and then you should be ready to progress to outpatient physical therapy. Most patients will do physical therapy a couple of times a week for 6 to 12 weeks after their surgery.

It is important to do the home exercises and physical therapy after the surgery to avoid scar tissue and stiff joints.

Medical Clearance from Family Physician and Dentist

Prior to surgery, we would ask that you obtain medical clearance from your family physician and/or cardiologist. It is helpful to have them evaluate you and make sure that you are healthy and safe enough to have the procedure.

We also ask that if you have not seen the dentist in the last 6 to 12 months, that you see a dentist and have them check to make sure you don’t have any evidence of dental infection that could potentially cause an infection in the surgical site.

Ask your doctor, cardiologist, and/or dentist to send letters of clearance to our office.

Expectations Post-Surgery

While the joint replacement does immediately get rid of the arthritis, it is normal to have some swelling and pain afterwards.

Your pain should be well controlled with the oral medication that we will prescribe you. We will send in your prescriptions to the pharmacy of your choice the week before your surgery.

The surgery should eliminate the arthritic pain, but it will not make you 18 years old again. It is still possible to have inflammation in the soft tissue and still have occasional pain from other sources like tendinitis or bursitis.

Most studies show that approximately 80 to 85% of patients are satisfied with their joint replacement; however, JCMG Surgery Center feedback reports our outcomes are over 95% favorable. It is important to us that you feel safe and comfortable throughout this process.

Call us at (573) 635-8000 with questions.



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