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What To Ask Your Orthopedist

Your Procedure | Forms & Handouts

• How long does the surgery take?
• How long will it be before I can take a shower or bath?
• When can I drive a car?
• When do I come back to see my orthopaedic surgeon?
• When will I be able to return to work?
• Are there activities I should do?
• Should I put any ointment or treatment on the incision site?
• Will the implant set off metal detectors at airports?
• When will my knee stop being swollen and warm?
• Why does my skin feel numb around my incision?
• Why does my knee click?
• How long will my knee replacement last?
  
  
• How long does the surgery take?
  Approximately 1-3 hours, depending on the condition of your knee at the time of surgery.
  
  
• How long will it be before I can take a shower or bath?
  You may shower 3 days after surgery if the wound is dry. Keep water exposure to the incision site brief and blot it dry when you get out.  Do not bathe or swim or Jacuzzi (ie. Do not submerge the incision) for approximately 3 to 4 weeks.
  
  
• When can I drive a car?
  This question is impossible to generalize to everyone because it is largely dependent on the individual.  Importantly, doctors do not have a license with the DMV to “clear you” or “release you” to return to driving.  There are 3 primary criteria that must be met.  You need to be off of narcotic pain medicines (otherwise you are driving under the influence).  You need to be able to get in and out of the driver’s seat comfortably.  And you must have regained your normal reflexes / strength.  Also, return to driving depends partly on what side had surgery (ie. Right leg operates the pedals; people with Left side surgery can generally get back to driving much sooner unless you have a clutch).  The average time to return to driving is around 4 weeks for the right side and usually sooner for the left.  We recommend ‘testing’ yourself with another licensed driver in an empty parking lot or quiet street first in order to check your reflexes moving your foot from pedal to pedal.
  
  
• When do I come back to see my orthopaedic surgeon?
  Generally, you should return to see your surgeon at the following intervals, but this may be individualized depending on special circumstances.
  
  Follow-up appointments (from date of surgery):
  • Approximately 4 weeks after surgery
  • Approximately 4 to 6 months after surgery
  • One year after surgery
  • 2 years after surgery
  • Then once every 2 to 4 years.

X-rays are an important part of each follow-up visit and essential in determining the position of the implant, and the condition of the bone around the implant. Also, x-rays can tell us if any parts are wearing out prematurely. 

• When will I be able to return to work?
  This varies depending on the demands of your job.  Some ambitious patients return to desk jobs / administrative type work as early as 1 week after surgery (but usually more like 1 month).  For active labor or heavy labor, it may take 3 to 6 months to return to work. 
  
  
• Are there activities I should do?
  A number of activities and exercises will be described / taught by your physical therapist.  These are primarily aimed at regaining your range of motion and strength. Additionally, an exercise bike can be quite helpful.  Keep the seat of the bike high at first to make it more comfortable.  You can gradually lower the seat as your knee motion improves.  Within the first couple of weeks after surgery, the bike should be used as a motion machine; pedal with non-operative leg and let your operative leg ‘go along for the ride’.  Use low resistance, low speed and short durations initially.  After a few weeks, you can start to add a little resistance and duration as you can tolerate it.  Additionally, after approximately 3 to 4 weeks, aqua therapy (pool exercises) are encouraged.  The buoyancy of the water can make strengthening and gait training more comfortable because there is less load applied to the operative leg.
  
  
• Should I put any ointment or treatments onto the incision site?
  For the first 2 weeks you should just keep the incision site dry.  Typically there will be a ‘wound glue’ applied at the time of surgery and / or ‘steri-strips’ or ‘butterfly bandages’.  These usually begin to come off at about 2 weeks after surgery.  At that time you may begin to apply products such as Mederma ointment, Vitamin E ointment or silicone wound coverings.
  
  
• Will the implant set off metal detectors at airports?
  Yes, they usually do. The clinic can provide you with a card that documents your knee replacement.  However, with the increased airport security lately, you should allow an extra 10 to 15 minutes to get through the airport.
  
  
• When will my knee stop being swollen and warm?
  You may have swelling and warmth about the knee persistently for 6 weeks after surgery. This will gradually decrease, but it may take 6 months to a year for the swelling to resolve completely.
   
  
  Why does my skin feel numb around my incision?
  When the surgical incision was made down the front of your knee the nerves in the skin were divided.  For this reason the skin in this area may feel fuzzy or numb. This is normal for patients with knee replacement surgery and the sensation will decrease with time.
  
  
• Why does my knee click?
  The implants in your knee are made out of metal and plastic.  The components will separate slightly with gravity.  When you swing your knee to walk, for example, a clicking sound may be heard as the pieces come into contact.  It does not mean the components are loose or broken and it should not cause any pain. 
  
  
• How long will my knee replacement last?
  The durability of knee replacement implants is quite good. The majority will last a lifetime, but occasionally implants can wear out or become loose over time.