Page 16 - total-knee-packet

6 WEEKS AFTER SURGERY AND ONWARD

• Your joint will still feel full, stiff, and warm – but improving. THIS IS COMPLETELY NORMAL.
• Your scar will continue to be purple/red for many months. You will continue to notice warmth from the joint too.
Both are because of the increased blood flow to the area as your body is trying to heal. As the scar tissue from
the incision and deep inside the joint continues to heal and mature, the color will change, and the swelling and
warmth will decrease.
• Unless you are told not to do so, it is now safe to submerge in water (pools, ocean, baths, etc.)
• You can now apply ointments, creams, powder, oils, or lotions to your incision. Vitamin-E lotions work well to
decrease scarring. You should also massage your scar to keep it soft, and it should continue to flatten and mature
over time.
• It is common to have occasional episodes of scar tissue-mediated pain when being very active during the first 6
months. You might be doing very well and then have sharp pain and swelling that goes away after a day or two.
This may be due to some immature scar tissue tearing and causing some bleeding. Just ice the area, take anti-
inflammatory medications, and be patient. Let us know if the pain doesn’t improve within a few days.

RECOGNIZING SIDE EFFECTS AND PREVENTING COMPLICATIONS

NUMBNESS

All patients develop an area of numbness on the outer side of the knee incision. This is normal. It is not a sign of any
problem. The numbness should lessen in the coming year after the joint replacement. You may notice “pins and needles”
sensations as the microscopic nerves in the skin regenerate.

BRUISING
You may develop bruising of the operative leg a few days after surgery.
Developing this on your thigh, calf, ankle, and foot is normal. Don’t be
alarmed by this; it doesn’t mean anything is wrong. The bruising will
gradually go away on its own as the body absorbs the blood.

SWELLING
Swelling is expected and can affect the entire leg. ICE AND ELEVATE your leg (with your “toes above your nose”) to
help with this and control pain. Keep ice on for 30 minutes and then remove it for 30 minutes and repeat. Do this for
many weeks and even many months!

Some total knee patients are prone to swelling, may be sensitive to the dressing, potentially don’t ice or elevate enough,
and can develop some blistering around the knee. If this happens, they will pop on their own and a non-adhesive dressing
over these areas can be used as needed until they heal. Feel free to contact our office with questions.

WARMTH
This is due to the extra blood flow going to the joint as it is healing. It may stay this way for months! Sometimes the blood
flow can also cause mild to moderate redness that should improve with icing and elevation.

STIFFNESS/FULLNESS
This is also due to the inflammation of surgery, the extra blood flow going to the joint to aid in healing, and scar tissue.
Over time the fluid will diminish, and the scar tissue will soften.

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