Planning for your return home prior to surgery can help assure a smoother recovery. The following are some things to keep in mind when returning home from a joint replacement:

• Bring in help. Sometimes patients will need to stay at a rehabilitation facility after a procedure. However, other patients might return home a day or two after certain surgeries. These patients should have someone, whether it is a friend or relative, stay with them for a couple of days to assist. This person should be physically capable and able to assist you at different times during the day.
• Rearrange the household. Rearranging furniture and other household items prior to surgery is a good idea for the return home. Doing so can help make day-to-day activities easier as well as help reduce the risk of falls.
• Plan meals and entertainment. Having healthy meals planned out ahead of time will reduce stress as well as make sure you maintain a good diet while involved in physical therapy. In addition, having books, magazines, games, and movies to watch during the initial days following surgery can help make the recovery process a little more tolerable.

Being prepared for the recovery process can cut down on falls and unwanted stresses; oftentimes, patients will practice using crutches or walkers prior to surgery so they know what to expect afterwards.

For more information regarding joint replacements and the recovery process, call the joint replacement specialists at Tidewater Orthopaedics at (757) 324-3258 or schedule an appointment online.