Activity:
- Ice for 15-20 minutes several times daily.
- Elevate your leg but do not place a pillow under your knee.
- You can place full weight on your knee unless otherwise instructed.
- Initially a walker is helpful for ambulation.
- Some swelling and bruising are common but should improve.
Wound Care:
- Wash your hands prior to any wound care.
- If an aquacel bandage was placed on your knee, you may shower but do not sit in water.
- You should remove the aquacel bandage after 7 days.
- Patients with a zipline wound closure will be discharged with a dressing that should be changed daily.
- Patient may shower with zipline.
- Zipline will be removed at your follow up appointment.
- If you have staples, they will be removed around 2 weeks after surgery.
Medication:
- Review your discharge paper work regarding your medication regimen.
- Take your pain medicine as prescribed.
- Be aware that pain medication can cause constipation so take measures to prevent this from occurring.
Exercise:
- It is important to attend physical therapy in order to obtain adequate motion and strength after surgery.
- Do your exercises several times daily and ICE after exercises.
- Walk around your house every hour to improve mobility.
- Work on getting your leg fully extended or straight. Work on bending your knee to obtain full flexion.
- Work on ankle motion and straight leg raises.
- You will need to continue your exercise for 2-3 months after surgery.
- You may have some pain after or during exercise, but this should resolve and/or improve.
When to call your Surgeon:
- Temperature above 101 degrees for at least 12 hours that does not improve with Tylenol.
- Severe swelling that does not improve with ice and elevation.
- Increasing redness around incision.
- Drainage from the wound that does not decrease or stop or becomes yellow/green or creamy.
- Signs of blood clot-redness, swelling and calf pain.