Your Daily Medications

• For pain:

  • Acetaminophen (Tylenol) – 1000mg every 8 hours

  • Celebrex – 100mg twice a day

  • Oxycodone – 5mg every 4-6 hours, for pain not controlled by Tylenol/Celebrex

• For Constipation

  • Docusate (Colace) 100mg twice per day

  • Bisacodyl (Ducolax) 5mg daily

• To prevent blood clots:

  • You have been prescribed one of the following blood thinners – follow instructions on your discharge medication list:

    • Aspirin – 81mg twice per day

    • Eliquis – 2.5mg twice per day

Your Incision & Dressing Care

• Your incision was closed with skin glue and absorbable sutures that do not need to be removed.

• Day 3:  Remove the ACE bandage and gauze dressing.  Do not clean or apply any ointments to your incision.  Do NOT remove steri-strips.  Apply Aquacel dressing over your incision while the knee is flexed to ~30 degrees.  OK to shower over this waterproof dressing.

• Day 7:  Remove your Aquacel dressing and leave the incision exposed to air with steri-strips still in place.  OK to now shower without covering your incision. Do not scrub. Pat gently to dry.

• Week 6: you may submerge incision in bath, pool, or hot tubs

Your Activity & Exercise Plan

• NO weight bearing restrictions

• Weeks 1-3: daily at-home exercises (see separate handout), begin home physical therapy

  • Use crutches or a walker to prevent falls, progress to a cane as directed by therapy

  • Elevate your foot above the level of your heart at all times when not walking/exercising

  • Wear TED stockings during the day to reduce swelling

• Week 4: ok to return to work, driving, and resume sexual activity

• Week 6: ok to resume regular activities and allowed sports

Your Follow Up Visits

• Please call our Joint Replacement Center Coordinator at 831-759-1978 to confirm your appointments.

  • 2 weeks after your surgery – no xrays needed

  • 4 weeks after your surgery – xrays will be obtained

Please refer to “Common Questions after Knee Replacement” for more information