Joint replacement surgery, or arthroplasty, is a specialized type of surgery that replaces all or part of a joint. Your surgeon will remove damaged bone and cartilage and replace it with a prosthetic implant. Your body will take some time to adjust to having a foreign object placed inside it, and your recovery time could take several months to a year, depending on the joint replaced, your age and health, and how your body responds.

During your recovery period, you will be given specific instructions by your surgeon, physician, and care team. It’s important to follow these instructions carefully to reduce your risk of complications and accelerate your recovery. Here are some tips for managing pain and discomfort and enhancing healing and mobility after undergoing joint replacement surgery.

Prepare for Your Home Recovery Before Surgery

The best time to start preparing for your home recovery is before you have surgery. You should start preparing one or two months before your surgery, depending on your abilities. If you live alone, arrange to have a friend or family member stay with you for the first week or two of your recovery period.

If you live with a roommate, partner, or family members, enlist their help in preparing for your surgery and in your post-surgery recovery. At least one of them should attend your pre-surgery consultation and read through your aftercare instructions. Here are some tips for preparing your home for your recovery:

Eliminate clutter and move furniture to create wide pathways throughout the house.
Take up area rugs and runners to eliminate tripping hazards.
Move your sleeping area to the first floor of your home.
Make sure you have easy access to a bathroom.
Set up sleeping and lounging areas that offer easy access to items you’ll need throughout the day, like water, medication, books and magazines, phone, chargers, ice packs, heating pads, and personal care items.
Elevate your bed and chair to enhance your comfort.
Make sure daily items are in reach and not on high shelves or cabinets.
Prepare meals ahead of time and freeze them, or buy ready-made meals that can be easily heated up and served.
Make a plan for your pets if you can’t care for them alone as you recover.
If you have young kids, have them stay with family during the first week of your recovery, or hire a babysitter or nanny to help with their care.
Have a written plan in place for emergencies, including contact information for your medical team and a trusted friend or family member.
Install grab bars in your bathroom and next to your bed and a shower seat in your shower or tub.
Buy assistive devices for your home, like a walker or knee scooter.
Consider installing home automation tools that make it easier to control your lights, blinds, security system, entertainment system, heating and cooling system, and home appliances.

Follow Your Post-Surgery Care Plan Carefully

Your care team worked hard to create a personalized post-surgery care plan for you. It’s important that you follow it carefully to reduce your risk of pain, discomfort, and complications. While parts of your plan may be painful, uncomfortable, or just annoying, they are essential in supporting your recovery and ensuring you can get up and around as soon as possible. If you have questions about your care plan or are having trouble sticking to it, reach out to your care team as soon as possible. They can help you make adjustments or provide support.

Be Aware of What’s Normal (and What’s Not) as You Recover

Each stage of your recovery from joint replacement surgery will bring improvements and challenges. You should be aware of what’s normal and what isn’t during each stage of your recovery. You can expect swelling, inflammation, pain, and stiffness for a few months after your surgery.

If you keep up with your physical therapy plan and occupational therapy plan and take your medication as prescribed, you should notice gradual improvement in your flexibility, range of motion, and mobility in three to six weeks. Full recovery can take between four months to a year. Some warning signs you should look out for as you recover are:

Increased pain or stiffness
Inability to walk or move around
Swelling that worsens or doesn’t go away after a few weeks to a month
Warmth, redness, itching, bleeding, or oozing around the wound
Worsening wound drainage
Fevers, chills, or night sweats
Confusion, disorientation, or memory loss
Intense fatigue that worsens over time
Rashes, itching, or skin irritation
Breathing problems
Coughing or wheezing

Create a Personalized Pain Management Plan

You and your care team should work together to create a personalized pain management plan that is adjusted throughout your recovery. Your reliance on medication should reduce as you recover, and your use of prescription painkillers should be slowly and carefully tapered off to reduce your risk of dependency and withdrawal symptoms.

Always follow your medical care team’s advice on the use of prescription painkillers. Never take more than what is recommended or take them more often than recommended. Be aware of the side effects of medication, and do not try to drive, exercise, leave your home alone, or use dangerous appliances or objects if you are experiencing side effects.

Keeping up with your physical therapy plan can also relieve pain. Physical therapy and therapeutic exercises and stretches can reduce swelling and inflammation, improve flexibility and mobility, and reduce your risk of painful and uncomfortable complications.

Hire an In-Home Caregiver

An in-home caregiver can offer you support as you recover. If you don’t have family or friends who can help or if they need an occasional break from providing care, an in-home caregiver can bridge the gap. In-home caregivers who offer specialized joint replacement care services can help you with the activities of daily living like bathing, grooming, personal care, dressing, and eating.

They can provide mobility assistance to ensure you get around your home safely. They can help with light housework, meal preparation, and errands and transport you to and from medical appointments. They can also ensure you stay safe as you complete your physical therapy exercises, and remind you to take your medication as directed.

Schedule a Consultation for In-Home Joint Replacement Care in Southern Arizona

At Placita In Home Care, we offer in-home joint replacement care in Tucson and the Metro Phoenix area. Our experienced, compassionate in-home caregivers can support you during your recovery by providing assistance with mobility, household tasks, and the activities of daily living: bathing, grooming, dressing, personal care, and toileting. We can also help with meal preparation, light housework, and medication management.

Our joint replacement care specialists are fully vetted and are licensed and insured. They undergo a rigorous background check and have clean MVD records. They are happy to drive you to and from doctor’s appointments and physical therapy appointments, and provide assistance in your home so that you stay safe while recovering from joint replacement surgery. Call us today or contact us online to learn more about our joint replacement care services or to schedule an appointment for a consultation.