Joint Replacement Surgery

As arthritis progresses, your affected joints lose motion, even with regular exercise, and may eventually become deformed. Fortunately, modern joint replacement techniques are now available when joint integrity breaks down and pain becomes severe. At some point, your physician may suggest joint replacement surgery for you. Nobody likes the idea of surgery, but putting off the surgery too long can prolong your rehabilitation. I have had many patients in the hospital who were not able to go home after joint replacement surgery; they had to go instead to an interim care facility, because they were too weak on the nonsurgical side to move themselves in and out of a chair or bed. You can speed up your recovery by doing a presurgery exercise program. I will focus here on lower-extremity joint surgery, because this type of surgery affects mobility the most.

Presurgery Preparation

Post-Surgery

Equipment and Home Modifications