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 - before - what to ask your doctor What to ask your doctor before hip or knee replacement; Hip replacement - before - what to ask your doctor; Knee replacement - before - what to ask your doctor; Hip arthroplasty - before - what to ask your doctor; Knee arthroplasty - before - what to ask your doctorYou are going to have a hip or knee joint replacement surgery to replace all or part of your hip or knee joint with an artificial device (a prosthesis).Below are some questions you may want to ask your health care provider to help you prepare for your hip or knee replacement.Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsersQuestionsIs joint replacement the best treatment for me right now? What other treatments should I think about?What type of hip replacement am I having and what is the advantage of it? How well does this surgery work for someone my age and with any of the medical problems I may have? Will I be able to walk without pain? How far? Will I be able to return to other activities, such as golf, swimming, tennis, or hiking? When can I do them? Is there anything that I can do before the surgery so it will be more successful for me?Are there exercises I should do to make my muscles stronger to get ready for surgery? Can I learn to use crutches or a walker before I have the surgery? Do I need to lose weight before surgery? Where can I get help quitting cigarettes or not drinking alcohol, if I need to? Quitting cigarettesThere are many ways to quit smoking. There are also resources to help you. Family members, friends, and co-workers may be supportive. But to be su...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Not drinking alcoholDeciding to quit drinking alcohol is a big step. You may have tried to quit in the past and are ready to try again. You may also be trying for the ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article How can I get my home ready before I even go to the hospital?Get my 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 so it is easier to get around and do things? How can I make it easier for myself in the bathroom and shower? What 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? Do I need to go to a rehabilitation facility? What are the risks or complications of the surgery?What can I do before surgery to make the risks lower? For which of my medical problems (diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure) do I need to see my regular provider before my surgery? DiabetesIt 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 Heart diseaseCoronary heart disease is a narrowing of the blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is also called co...Read Article Now Book Mark Article High blood pressureHypertension is another term used to describe high blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to: StrokeHeart attackHeart failureKidney diseaseEar...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Will I need a blood transfusion during or after the surgery? Isn't there a way of saving my own blood before the surgery so it can be used during the surgery?What will the surgery and my stay in the hospital be like?How long will the surgery last? What type of anesthesia will be used? Are there choices to consider? AnesthesiaGeneral anesthesia is treatment with certain medicines that puts you into a deep sleep-like state so you do not feel pain during surgery. After you ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Will I be in a lot of pain after surgery? What will be done to relieve the pain? How soon will I be getting up and moving around? How do I get to the bathroom after surgery? Will I have a catheter in my bladder and for how long? Will I have physical therapy in the hospital? What other types of treatment or therapy will I have at the hospital? How long do I need to be in the hospital? Will I be able to walk when I leave the hospital?Will I be able to go home after being in the hospital? Where will I go if I need to recover more before going home? Do I need to stop taking any medicines before my surgery?Aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or other arthritis drugs? Vitamins, minerals, herbs, and supplements? Blood thinners such as warfarin, clopidogrel, or others? Other prescription medicines that my other providers may have given me? What should I do the week and the night before my surgery?When do I need to stop eating or drinking? What medicines should I take the day of surgery? When do I need to be at the hospital? What should I bring with me to the hospital? Do I need to shower with any particular soap? Open ReferencesReferencesHarkness 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 - before - what to ask your doctor Hip or knee replacement - after - what to ask your doctor Questions to ask your doctor after knee replacementQuestions 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 - after - 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. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Hip or knee replacement - before - what to ask your doctor What to ask your doctor before hip or knee replacement; Hip replacement - before - what to ask your doctor; Knee replacement - before - what to ask your doctor; Hip arthroplasty - before - what to ask your doctor; Knee arthroplasty - before - what to ask your doctorYou are going to have a hip or knee joint replacement surgery to replace all or part of your hip or knee joint with an artificial device (a prosthesis).Below are some questions you may want to ask your health care provider to help you prepare for your hip or knee replacement.Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsersQuestionsIs joint replacement the best treatment for me right now? What other treatments should I think about?What type of hip replacement am I having and what is the advantage of it? How well does this surgery work for someone my age and with any of the medical problems I may have? Will I be able to walk without pain? How far? Will I be able to return to other activities, such as golf, swimming, tennis, or hiking? When can I do them? Is there anything that I can do before the surgery so it will be more successful for me?Are there exercises I should do to make my muscles stronger to get ready for surgery? Can I learn to use crutches or a walker before I have the surgery? Do I need to lose weight before surgery? Where can I get help quitting cigarettes or not drinking alcohol, if I need to? Quitting cigarettesThere are many ways to quit smoking. There are also resources to help you. Family members, friends, and co-workers may be supportive. But to be su...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Not drinking alcoholDeciding to quit drinking alcohol is a big step. You may have tried to quit in the past and are ready to try again. You may also be trying for the ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article How can I get my home ready before I even go to the hospital?Get my 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 so it is easier to get around and do things? How can I make it easier for myself in the bathroom and shower? What 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? Do I need to go to a rehabilitation facility? What are the risks or complications of the surgery?What can I do before surgery to make the risks lower? For which of my medical problems (diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure) do I need to see my regular provider before my surgery? DiabetesIt 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 Heart diseaseCoronary heart disease is a narrowing of the blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is also called co...Read Article Now Book Mark Article High blood pressureHypertension is another term used to describe high blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to: StrokeHeart attackHeart failureKidney diseaseEar...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Will I need a blood transfusion during or after the surgery? Isn't there a way of saving my own blood before the surgery so it can be used during the surgery?What will the surgery and my stay in the hospital be like?How long will the surgery last? What type of anesthesia will be used? Are there choices to consider? AnesthesiaGeneral anesthesia is treatment with certain medicines that puts you into a deep sleep-like state so you do not feel pain during surgery. After you ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Will I be in a lot of pain after surgery? What will be done to relieve the pain? How soon will I be getting up and moving around? How do I get to the bathroom after surgery? Will I have a catheter in my bladder and for how long? Will I have physical therapy in the hospital? What other types of treatment or therapy will I have at the hospital? How long do I need to be in the hospital? Will I be able to walk when I leave the hospital?Will I be able to go home after being in the hospital? Where will I go if I need to recover more before going home? Do I need to stop taking any medicines before my surgery?Aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or other arthritis drugs? Vitamins, minerals, herbs, and supplements? Blood thinners such as warfarin, clopidogrel, or others? Other prescription medicines that my other providers may have given me? What should I do the week and the night before my surgery?When do I need to stop eating or drinking? What medicines should I take the day of surgery? When do I need to be at the hospital? What should I bring with me to the hospital? Do I need to shower with any particular soap? Open ReferencesReferencesHarkness 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.
