Hip or Knee Replacement Surgery is an important procedure these days because joints enable us to move our bodies freely. They are fundamental to our survival.
However, over time, joints like the knees and hips degenerate and you have to experience joint problems like pain, tenderness, swelling, redness or whatnot. In this post, we will talk about replacements and what you should expect after such a surgical intervention.
A Hip or Knee Replacement Surgery Involves Joint Replacement
A replacement is also known as an arthroplasty. This is done to replace a damaged or worn-out joint. An orthopedic surgeon always recommends a replacement when you have such debilitating and excruciating pain in the joint that it impacts your life negatively.
And, at worst, because of the intense and chronic pain in your knees or hips, you cannot walk, stand, and climb stairs independently. And it even restricts you from making all the essential sorts of leg movements too.
When an arthroplasty or replacement is performed for a knee, it is called a knee replacement. The same logic applies to a hip replacement.
Things to Expect After a Hip or Knee Replacement Surgery
There are a lot of things you should expect once you have gone through an arthroplasty for your knee or hip. Consider the following.
Hospital Stay After Your Hip or Knee Replacement Surgery
First, your doctor will take you to the recovery room where you will be initially taken care of. For a few days, you will be observed medically to see that no complications go unnoticed.
Inflammation Issues After Hip or Knee Replacement
Surgery always follows pain, swelling and all the other symptoms of inflammation. However, your surgeon will offer enough post-operative care to ease all the sensations of physical discomfort.
Pain Management Medications
You must expect painkillers as they will relieve pain and help you ease through the recovery process.
Antibiotics
Like all surgeries, replacements involve incisions as well. So, to avert the possibility of infections, your surgeon will also put you on a course of antibiotics for at least 14 days.
Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation
Once your operative joint has recovered enough, you will start physiotherapy. In this therapy, a person, mostly a certified physiotherapist, will instruct you to practise certain exercises so your replaced joint muscles will start gaining strength and mass enabling you to revive joint mobility.
However, a physiotherapist can also apply heat and ice compressions to reduce the conditions of swelling and pain without the help of drugs. Heat works well on the pain by loosening soft tissues and promoting lubrication. Ice is used to reduce swelling.
Besides, a physiotherapist can also offer massages or teach you how to give a massage to your replaced hip or knee joint.
Measures to Take Before and After Hip or Knee Replacements
Also you will have to follow certain things to keep complications at bay. Avoid strenuous or arduous exercises or activities.
Usually, you are supposed to keep a long distance from high-impact activities like demanding sports, jumping, and rushing while using stairs.
Don’t indulge in any adventure sports, i.e., free climbing, highlining, bungee jumping, rafting, etc.
A Long-Term Perspective on Hip and Knee Replacements
Recovery from a replacement isn’t going to be an overnight experience at all. It will take a while before you are really able to get back on your feet. To keep on the safe side, take in the back of your mind at least 6 months maximally.
After an arthroplasty, you will also have to go and see your operating surgeon several times for a reasonable period of time. It is very important so please don’t skip any of your post-operative consultation with your doctor.
Here, your surgeon will keep a record of the recovery process and let you know whether it is going normally or if there is something you should be concerned about.
Now, let’s move on to the advantages you get after the surgery.
But, Before that, take a piece of advice to find the best knee replacement surgery , make sure to do your research. As I was reading this article, I realized that we should take health insurance so that we are prepared for this type of emergency situation if needed, so here are some tips to take best health insurance.
Benefits of a Hip or Knee Replacement
Suppose you got your surgery done and right now, you are well past the recovery process too. In that case, everyone can avail of the following blessings of a knee or hip replacement.
No More Pain
A knee or hip replacement involves the removal of the components that are causing inflammation and promoting pain, stiffness, and tenderness in the concerned joint. Thus, once a replacement has been performed, there is nothing that will cause you to feel pain any more.
Active Lifestyle
No pain is directly correlated with activity. Once your hip and knee are replaced, you can live a more active life than before. Replacements improve joint mobility considerably.
Better Sleep
When at night you don’t have to feel any pain, you can sleep better.
Elimination of Dependency on Painkillers
Suppose you have osteoarthritis in your knee most chronically and severely. In that case, you cannot live sanely without painkillers before you haven’t gone through a replacement at all.
Improved Joint Function
There are various types of movements you can make mobilising your hip and knee joints. Without them, you won’t be able to live a normal life. A replacement helps with joint immobility.
Long-Term Durability
Modern science has advanced so much so far. Thus, the prostheses surgeons use these days are of very good quality. You won’t need a revision before it is a reasonably long period of time.
Prevention of Joint Degeneration
If you have very intense pain in your hip because of Osteoarthritis and it has almost made you physically inactive, you must consult with an orthopedic specialist first.
As advised, if you don’t go for a replacement, your hip joint components will continue to degenerate causing your pain to get worse and worse.
However, after a hip arthroplasty, there will be a stop to these degenerative changes.
If you need a replacement for your hip, see that you find a well-qualified doctor first. Because without a competent surgeon, you won’t be able to get the best results after hip replacement surgery in Delhi NCR.
Better Life Quality
All the preceding things at best ensure that you lead a happy, active, and mentally positive life.
If you face any mobility or inflammation issues after a replacement, talk to your doctor for the best advice.
