Advocate Health Care
a patient or visitor a physician or healthcare professional an employer
Decrease (-) Restore Default Increase (+) font size

medical services home
search by doctor name 
Doctor Name Contains (Smart Search)
search by specialty

search by city/zip code

Within miles:
0 1 5 10 15 30 30+

search by insurance
Insurance Name Contains (Smart Search)
 (what's this)
related health information

Hip or knee replacement - after - what to ask your doctor


You had surgery to get a new hip or knee joint while you were in the hospital.

Below are some questions you may want to ask your doctor or nurse to help you take care of your new joint.

Alternate Names

What to ask your doctor after hip or knee replacement; Hip replacement - after - what to ask your doctor; Knee replacement - after - what to ask your doctor; Hip arthroplasty - after - what to ask your doctor; Knee arthroplasty - after - what to ask your doctor


How long will I need to use crutches or a walker after I go home?

  • How much walking can I do?
  • When can I begin to place weight on my new joint? How much?
  • Do I need to be careful about how I sit or move around?
  • What are things that I cannot do?
  • When will I be able to do other activities, such as golf, swimming, tennis, or hiking?

Will I have pain medicines when I go home? How should I take them?

Will I need to take blood thinners when I go home? How long would it be?


  • How can I make my home safer for me?
  • How can I make my home easier to get around?
  •  Do I need to rearrange my home? 
  • Do I need a hospital bed?

What are the signs that something is wrong with my new hip or knee? How can I prevent problems with my new hip or knee?

How do I take care of my surgical wound?

  • How often should I change the dressing? How do I wash the wound?
  • What should my wound look like? What wound problems do I need to watch out for?
  • When do sutures and staples come out?
  • Can I take a shower? Can I take a bath or soak in the hot tub?
  • When can I go back to see my dentist? Do I need to take any antibiotics before seeing the dentist?

Review Date: 1/17/2013

