You can take a shower as soon as you feel confident to do so. Using a tub or shower chair in the bathtub or shower may offer you extra support and comfort until you are able to become more able to move around (mobile).
Showering/Bathing:
________ You may shower 2 days after surgery. You may shower if there is no drainage from your incisions. Your dressing may be removed for showering. You may get your incisions wet in the shower.
When Can I Do Housework? For the first three months following a TKR, stick to light chores such as washing up and dusting. Try to avoid standing for long periods e.g. ironing as it can cause your knee and ankles to swell. After three months you can return to other housework such as hoovering.
It is ok to shower or sponge bathe 2 days after surgery but you must keep your knee clean and dry at all cost! This usually entails keeping your leg outside the shower, using saran wrap or a large plastic bag to protect your wounds.
Can you sleep on your side after knee replacement surgery? You can, but it's wise not to do so until at least a few weeks after surgery, when you can start bending your knee. Make sure you lay on your non-operative side. Sleeping this way makes sure no pressure falls on the knee you had surgery on.
Although exercise is the key to healing, you could be backpedaling progress by overworking your knee. Signs of over-exercising include swelling of the entire leg and lingering pain that stretches into the evening or into the next day.
Even though you will be able to resume most activities, you may want to avoid doing things that place excessive stress on your "new" knee, such as participating in high-impact activities like jumping, jogging, or skiing.
Sleep on Your Back
One of the best ways to sleep after knee replacement surgery is on your back. The sleeping position makes it easy to keep the leg straight, which helps proper blood flow.
If a pre-established shower will not allow grab bar placement, a walker can be used for support in and out of a shower or tub. Towel bars are NOT enough support for transfers. They were made for supporting light towels and not a person's full weight.
Use a rubber-backed bath mat to help keep the floor dry and prevent slipping. Sit on a shower chair while you bathe. Use a commode chair or elevated toilet seat to raise the height of your toilet. You may be prescribed pain medication to use at home.
This is because your wound should not be soaked in water until it's healed. It could cause the skin to soften and reopen the wound. Guidelines published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) say you can have a shower 48 hours after surgery.
Avoiding post‐operative bathing or showering for two to three days may result in accumulation of sweat and dirt on the body. Conversely, early washing of the surgical wound may have an adverse effect on healing, for example by irritating or macerating the wound, and disturbing the healing environment.
To minimize the swelling in your leg, you need to elevate your operative leg above the level of your heart. This should be done at least three times per day for 30 minutes each time.
Within 2-3 weeks post surgery, you should be able to walk a short distance – or for around 10 minutes – without depending on a mobility aid. About 4-6 weeks after surgery, you'll likely be cleared to go back to work as normal, if you have a sedentary occupation.
Your orthopaedic surgeon and physical therapist may recommend that you exercise for 20 to 30 minutes daily, or even 2 to 3 times daily; and walk for 30 minutes, 2 to 3 times daily during your early recovery.
Don't sit in low chairs
Sitting on a low seat or sofa can make it tricky to get up again without putting undue stress on your knee. If possible, sit in firm chairs with back support and armrests until you are fully recovered.
Water is your best choice. Caffeine or alcohol can make constipation worse. Eat more high-fiber foods such as whole-grain bread, bran cereals, fresh fruit and vegetables. Be as active as you can each day.
Be sure to drink plenty of fluids and eat foods high in fiber, such as fruits and vegetables, to prevent constipation. Use a stool softener while taking pain medication. Take a laxative if you do not have a bowel movement within two to three days. Notify your doctor if you don't have results after taking the laxative.
stitches over joints, such as your knees or elbows – you'll need to return after 10 to 14 days. stitches on other parts of your body – you'll need to return after 7 to 10 days.
cover your stitches when you have a shower, with a waterproof dressing – you may be able to use a rubber glove or plastic bag if they will cover your wound. have a wash standing in a bath tub, using a cloth to clean yourself and avoiding your stitches.
They inhibit osteoblasts at the endosteal bone surface and also reduce both the immune response and the inflammatory response.