BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuHip or knee replacement - after - what to ask your doctor What to ask your doctor after hip or knee replacement; Hip replacement - after - what to ask your doctor; Knee replacement - after - what to ask your doctor; Hip arthroplasty - after - what to ask your doctor; Knee arthroplasty - after - what to ask your doctorYou had surgery to get a new hip or knee joint while you were in the hospital. Below are some questions you may want to ask your surgeon or health care provider to help you take care of your new joint.Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsersQuestionsHow long will I need to use crutches or a walker after I go home?CrutchesIt is important to start walking as soon as you can after your surgery. But you will need support for walking while your leg heals. Crutches may be...Read Article Now Book Mark Article How much walking can I do? When can I begin to place weight on my new joint? How much? Do I need to be careful about how I sit or move around? What are things that I should not do? Will I be able to walk without pain? How far? When will I be able to do other activities, such as golf, swimming, tennis, or hiking? Can I use a cane? When? Will I have pain medicines when I go home? How should I take them?Will I need to take blood thinners when I go home? How long would it be?What exercises can or should I do after surgery?Do I need to go for physical therapy? How often and for how long? What precautions should I have with my new joint? When can I drive? Are there particular motions or activities that I should avoid?How can I get my home ready before I even go to the hospital?Home readyBefore you go to the hospital for surgery, set up your home to make your recovery and life easier when you come back. Plan and do this well in advan...Read Article Now Book Mark Article How much help will I need when I come home? Will I be able to get out of bed? How can I make my home safer for me? How can I make my home easier to get around? How can I make it easier for myself in the bathroom and shower? What type of supplies will I need when I get home? Do I need to rearrange my home? What should I do if there are steps that go to my bedroom or bathroom? Do I need a hospital bed? What are the signs that something is wrong with my new hip or knee? How can I prevent problems with my new hip or knee? When should I call the provider? How do I take care of my surgical wound?Care of my surgical woundAn incision is a cut through the skin that is made during surgery. It is also called a surgical wound. Some incisions are small, others are long. ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article How often should I change the dressing? How do I wash the wound? What should my wound look like? What wound problems do I need to watch out for? When do sutures and staples come out? When can I take a shower? Can I take a bath or soak in the hot tub? When can I go back to see my dentist? Do I need to take any antibiotics before seeing the dentist? Open ReferencesReferencesAmerican Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Total hip replacement. orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/treatment/total-hip-replacement. Updated February 2024. Accessed June 28, 2025.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Total knee replacement. orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/treatment/total-knee-replacement. Updated February 2024. Accessed June 28, 2025.Harkess JW, Crockarell JR. Arthroplasty of the hip. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 3.Mihalko WM. Arthroplasty of the knee. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 7.AllVideoImagesTogA Closer Look Osteoarthritis(Alt. Medicine)Osteoarthritis - InDepth(In-Depth)Rheumatoid arthritis(Alt. Medicine)Weight control and diet - InDepth(In-Depth)Rheumatoid arthritis - InDepth(In-Depth)Back pain and sciatica - InDepth(In-Depth)Talking to your MD Hip or knee replacement - after - what to ask your doctor Questions to ask your doctor after knee replacementHip or knee replacement - before - what to ask your doctor Questions to ask your doctor before knee replacementRelated Information Osteoarthritis(Condition)Knee joint replacement(Surgery)Hip joint replacement(Surgery)Hip pain(Symptoms)Knee pain(Symptoms)Getting your home ready - knee or hip surgery(Self-Care)Hip replacement - discharge (Discharge)Knee joint replacement - discharge (Discharge)Taking care of your new hip joint(Self-Care)Hip or knee replacement - before - what to ask your doctor (Doctor Questions)Osteoarthritis - InDepth(In-Depth)Rheumatoid arthritis - InDepth(In-Depth) Review Date: 6/4/2025 Reviewed By: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. 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Hip or knee replacement - after - what to ask your doctor What to ask your doctor after hip or knee replacement; Hip replacement - after - what to ask your doctor; Knee replacement - after - what to ask your doctor; Hip arthroplasty - after - what to ask your doctor; Knee arthroplasty - after - what to ask your doctorYou had surgery to get a new hip or knee joint while you were in the hospital. Below are some questions you may want to ask your surgeon or health care provider to help you take care of your new joint.Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsersQuestionsHow long will I need to use crutches or a walker after I go home?CrutchesIt is important to start walking as soon as you can after your surgery. But you will need support for walking while your leg heals. Crutches may be...Read Article Now Book Mark Article How much walking can I do? When can I begin to place weight on my new joint? How much? Do I need to be careful about how I sit or move around? What are things that I should not do? Will I be able to walk without pain? How far? When will I be able to do other activities, such as golf, swimming, tennis, or hiking? Can I use a cane? When? Will I have pain medicines when I go home? How should I take them?Will I need to take blood thinners when I go home? How long would it be?What exercises can or should I do after surgery?Do I need to go for physical therapy? How often and for how long? What precautions should I have with my new joint? When can I drive? Are there particular motions or activities that I should avoid?How can I get my home ready before I even go to the hospital?Home readyBefore you go to the hospital for surgery, set up your home to make your recovery and life easier when you come back. Plan and do this well in advan...Read Article Now Book Mark Article How much help will I need when I come home? Will I be able to get out of bed? How can I make my home safer for me? How can I make my home easier to get around? How can I make it easier for myself in the bathroom and shower? What type of supplies will I need when I get home? Do I need to rearrange my home? What should I do if there are steps that go to my bedroom or bathroom? Do I need a hospital bed? What are the signs that something is wrong with my new hip or knee? How can I prevent problems with my new hip or knee? When should I call the provider? How do I take care of my surgical wound?Care of my surgical woundAn incision is a cut through the skin that is made during surgery. It is also called a surgical wound. Some incisions are small, others are long. ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article How often should I change the dressing? How do I wash the wound? What should my wound look like? What wound problems do I need to watch out for? When do sutures and staples come out? When can I take a shower? Can I take a bath or soak in the hot tub? When can I go back to see my dentist? Do I need to take any antibiotics before seeing the dentist? Open ReferencesReferencesAmerican Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Total hip replacement. orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/treatment/total-hip-replacement. Updated February 2024. Accessed June 28, 2025.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Total knee replacement. orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/treatment/total-knee-replacement. Updated February 2024. Accessed June 28, 2025.Harkess JW, Crockarell JR. Arthroplasty of the hip. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 3.Mihalko WM. Arthroplasty of the knee. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 7.
