FAQ – Knee Replacement

You may shower 7 days after you leave the hospital or 7 days after there is no drainage on the dressing, whichever is later. Please cover your incision during showers for 2 weeks with plastic wrap.

If you have black stitches on the outside of your incision, you may not shower until cleared by the doctor at your 2-week follow-up appointment.

You may take a bath, swim, or use a hot tub 3 months after surgery.

Please perform daily dressing changes to your incision for 7 days after you leave the hospital or until there is no drainage on the dressing, whichever is later.

Your incision will be covered by several small pieces of adhesive tape called Steri-Strips. Do not remove the Steri-Strips as they are glued on—please allow them to fall off on their own. The Steri-Strips may take 6 to 8 weeks to fall off, and only the doctor should remove them in the office.

Do not scrub your incision in the shower; just let the water run over it. Do not rub anything on your incision—no ointments, salves, balms, lotions, creams, Vitamin E, etc.

You should wear stockings for 2 weeks after surgery, taking them off every night before you go to bed.

You should wear your knee immobilizer while you sleep for 2 weeks after you leave the hospital.

Surgery, particularly on the lower extremities, increases the risk of blood clots. You are taking a blood thinner to decrease the risk of blood clot formation.

You will take blood thinners for 35 days after surgery.

After you are seen in the office at your 6-week post-operative visit, you will be cleared to drive by the doctor. However, you may not drive as long as you are taking narcotic pain medication.

You will need to take antibiotics before having any procedure (e.g. dental work, dental cleaning, colonoscopy, upper endoscopy, bronchoscopy, any additional surgery) for the rest of your life. Please call our office for an antibiotic prescription as soon as you have scheduled a procedure.