Going home checklist

You’ll go home 1 or 2 days after surgery if your healthcare team thinks you’re ready. Before you go home, they’ll check that:

• you have a ride home
• you can get in and out of a bed and chair without help
• you can stand and walk safely with your walker or crutches
• you can go up and down stairs safely
• you can walk as far as you will need to in your home
• you can do your exercises and daily living activities safely
• you’re eating and going to the bathroom
• your incision (the cut where you had surgery) is healing (It’s normal to lose some feeling in the skin around the incision. The feeling should come back in a few months.)
• you know how to change your bandage (if you need to)
• your pain is under control

You’ll get a prescription for pain medicine. If you get constipated, talk to your pharmacist or case manager about using a stool softener.

Your healthcare team will let you know if you need more help before you can go home.

Supporting your recovery

It’s important to do the following to help you recover and get home more quickly:

• Do your phase 1 and phase 2 exercises at least 4 times a day. The sooner your leg muscles get stronger, the sooner you can get back to your normal activities.
• Take pain medicine at least 30 to 45 minutes before you exercise (if you find the exercises make you really sore).
• Use your walker or crutches until your healthcare team tells you it’s safe to walk on your own.
• Walking will progress slowly over 6 weeks. Doing short walks often is better than a doing a single long walk. Have someone come with you on the first few walks in case you run into a problem. Make sure to bring your cell phone in case you need to call for help.

Let your healthcare team know if you have discomfort that lasts a long time after your surgery. They can offer ways to help you manage it.​​