Dr. Hart Total Knee Discharge Instructions
- Activity: Limiting your activity for the first 2 weeks will help control your pain and swelling. You should have your knee elevated with ice on it for most of the day. Please limit your walking to less than 10min every hour. Multiple times a day you should sit in a chair or on the side of the bed to work on knee flexion and extension. Utilize your walker until you feel like it is getting in your way.
- Dressings: You may remove the ace wrap the day after surgery. The dressing underneath is waterproof, you may shower with this dressing on, and it stays on until it is removed at your first postop visit. No swimming pools, hot tubs, or tub baths until cleared by Dr. Hart.
- Blood Clots: Unless otherwise specified, Dr. Hart prescribes Aspirin 81mg every 12 hours for 6 weeks postoperatively to reduce the risk of blood clots.
- Pain: Rest, ice, and not “over-doing it” will help you control your postoperative pain. Dr. Hart has prescribed you Percocet 10mg/325mg every 4-6 hours as well as Ibuprofen 800mg every 8 hours for pain control. It is safe to take the Ibuprofen with the aspirin.
- PT: In-home physical therapy has already been arranged by Dr. Hart’s office, you will be contacted by the company 1-2 days after discharge. Contact Daniel (Medical Assistant) at or Daniel.Alonso@boneandjoint.org with any questions.
- Fevers: It is not uncommon for patient’s temperatures to run a bit higher following surgery. Temperatures below 101.5°F are common and not concerning. If you develop a fever greater than 101.5°F please call the office.
- Follow-up: Your post-operative follow-up appointment has been made for 2 weeks from surgery. Please contact Brittany (Surgical Scheduler) at or Brittany.Duarte@boneandjoint.org if you need confirmation of your appointment
