What Can I Do To Best Recover From Joint Replacement Surgery?

— -- Question: What can I do to best recover from joint replacement surgery?

Answer: Recovery from joint replacement surgery is a multi-step process. In general, if you can prepare for surgery by making sure all your medical problems are in good control, that you're close to your ideal body weight -- if possible try and lose some weight if you're overweight to get closer to that ideal body weight. And do some preoperative exercise, so-called prehabilitation or prehab, to try and strengthen the muscles that are going to be involved in your rehabilitation process after surgery.

Immediately after surgery you'll be likely in the hospital after hip and knee replacement surgery and that following the instructions of the physical therapist are going to be important. And slow, steady process to get back on your feet and rehabilitate those muscles that have been weakened prior to surgery and the recovery after surgery.

Longer term, once the pain and dysfunction have subsided from the immediate postoperative period, longer term it's going to be a matter of strengthening those atrophied muscles that were affected by the arthritis prior to surgery to return to as near normal function as possible after both hip and knee replacement surgery.

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