Avoiding Problems After Knee Surgery
Preventing Blood Clots
Blood clots are a real hazard following surgery. Your orthopedist will give you complete instructions on how to avoid blood clots. You must follow these instructions closely.
Here Are The Signs to Watch Out For
If you have a blood clot in your leg, you may experience the following:
Your foot, ankle and calf may swell.
You may feel calf pain.
Swelling, redness, and tenderness of the knee.
Chest pain without warning.
Your chest pain may be accompanied by coughing.
A blood clot that has traveled to your lung may cause the following:
Shortness of breath without warning.
If this happens, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible.
Click here for more on Portland Knee Surgery.
How to Prevent Infection
Your knee may become infected after your surgery. The reason for this is usually that bacteria has gotten into your blood somehow. Usually this will happen because of an infection of your skin or a urinary tract infection. It can also happen because you have had dental work. The bacteria generated by one of these conditions can travel and set itself up in your knee replacement. This causes infection.
After you have had your knee replaced, it is important that you take antibiotics on a preventative basis whenever you have surgical or dental procedures as these may let bacteria into your bloodstream.
Watch out for these signs of knee replacement infection:
Your knee may hurt, even if you are resting.
You may shake and have chills.
You may experience tenderness, redness, and swelling around the knee replacement.
You may have a temperature of 100F or more that just won't go away.
There may be drainage from your knee wound.
Be sure to call your doctor if any of these signs occur.
Avoiding Falls: What to Do
Be careful not to fall while you are recovering from your knee surgery. This could damage your knee replacement. Then you would have to have more surgery. To avoid this, be sure to keep off the stairs. Use your cane, walker, crutches, or whatever your surgeon has recommended. If you don't have these, be sure to have someone help you. Always use handrails whenever they are available. Keep on being very careful until you have completely recovered. This means you have your strength, balance, and flexibility back to normal.
Double-check with your physical therapist or your surgeon before you make the decision to stop using your assistive devices. They can help you decide if it is really time to stop using them altogether or if you need a different type of device. - 17269
Blood clots are a real hazard following surgery. Your orthopedist will give you complete instructions on how to avoid blood clots. You must follow these instructions closely.
Here Are The Signs to Watch Out For
If you have a blood clot in your leg, you may experience the following:
Your foot, ankle and calf may swell.
You may feel calf pain.
Swelling, redness, and tenderness of the knee.
Chest pain without warning.
Your chest pain may be accompanied by coughing.
A blood clot that has traveled to your lung may cause the following:
Shortness of breath without warning.
If this happens, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible.
Click here for more on Portland Knee Surgery.
How to Prevent Infection
Your knee may become infected after your surgery. The reason for this is usually that bacteria has gotten into your blood somehow. Usually this will happen because of an infection of your skin or a urinary tract infection. It can also happen because you have had dental work. The bacteria generated by one of these conditions can travel and set itself up in your knee replacement. This causes infection.
After you have had your knee replaced, it is important that you take antibiotics on a preventative basis whenever you have surgical or dental procedures as these may let bacteria into your bloodstream.
Watch out for these signs of knee replacement infection:
Your knee may hurt, even if you are resting.
You may shake and have chills.
You may experience tenderness, redness, and swelling around the knee replacement.
You may have a temperature of 100F or more that just won't go away.
There may be drainage from your knee wound.
Be sure to call your doctor if any of these signs occur.
Avoiding Falls: What to Do
Be careful not to fall while you are recovering from your knee surgery. This could damage your knee replacement. Then you would have to have more surgery. To avoid this, be sure to keep off the stairs. Use your cane, walker, crutches, or whatever your surgeon has recommended. If you don't have these, be sure to have someone help you. Always use handrails whenever they are available. Keep on being very careful until you have completely recovered. This means you have your strength, balance, and flexibility back to normal.
Double-check with your physical therapist or your surgeon before you make the decision to stop using your assistive devices. They can help you decide if it is really time to stop using them altogether or if you need a different type of device. - 17269
About the Author:
Dr. Edelson is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon specializing in sports medicine. His clinic, Sports Medicine Oregon, focuses on athletes of all ages. Click here to learn more about Dr. Edelson, Oregon ACL Tears and Oregon Knee Surgery.
posted by X - Men at
3:00 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home