Optimising Recovery
Calm your Nerves
There are many things you can do to help your nerves to calm down after surgery and research shows that the following things can help people to recover faster.
1. Understand your pain. Knowing that pain after surgery is normal and can be due to sensitised nerves helps you to recover quickly.
2. Get moving. Your nerves need exercise and movement to give them the blood and oxygen they need. When you are in hospital, a physiotherapist will help you to get up and walk as soon as possible after surgery, and this is great for your nerves. The physiotherapist may tell you “motion is lotion” for your knee joint. During your recovery you can expect some ‘flare-ups’ when your pain may temporarily increase. Don’t worry, this is not due to harm but can occur due to the same nerve sensitivity problem. Similarly, if there are exercises or movements that you’re worried about doing, this fear could stop you from being able to get the most out of your surgery. Ask the physiotherapist to help you with any movements that you feel tempted to avoid, or exercises you find can ‘flare up’ your pain. Sticking with it and continuing to exercise regularly will maximise your recovery and help to turn the “tap” of pain relieving chemicals in the brain back on.
3. Use the pain medicines you’re given. Your doctors will prescribe pain relief. This will help to control the pain you experience and help you to get moving. Some people worry about taking pain medications, have concerns about side effects and worry the medicine will lose effectiveness if taken regularly. The goal is to use medicines to allow you to function, but not so much medicine that you get side effects which stop you being able to function (e.g. make you sleepy or sick). If you have any questions phone your GP practice and get some advice.
4. Use the medicine cabinet in your brain.
a. Expect the best: tell yourself that you will make an excellent recovery
b. Take time out to relax (we’ll teach you some ways to do this in the coming weeks)
c. Avoid stress if possible
d. Surround yourself with supportive people and ask them to encourage you to be active
(especially if they’re protective or tend to do things for you!)
e. Get the best sleep you can
5. Focus on your goals. After knee replacement you can expect to get back to lots of activities. Set some goals and focus on slowly and gradually increasing your activity levels over time.
Now turn to your “My Knee Surgery Plan” document (page 3) and make notes using the information in this section about the things you’d like to remember at the time of surgery, or things you’d like to do to optimise your own recovery.
Summary: Your Nerves and Knee Replacement
You can be assured that knee replacement is a very effective surgery. It’s normal to have pain in the days and weeks after surgery because with knee arthritis, danger signals have been sent to the brain for a long time and body’s pain system has adapted and become sensitised, like an overactive alarm. Surgery is stressful for your mind and body, and it takes time for your nerves and alarm system to calm back down. Understanding that pain does not mean damage, getting moving early, and getting sleep and relaxation can help you to optimise your recovery and reduce your pain.
Focus on Function
After knee replacement, you can expect a good improvement in the way your knee functions. You should be able to do more and more in the months after surgery, and improvements can keep occurring for about a year. You should be optimistic about what you hope to achieve. Walking, climbing stairs, swimming, golf, driving, and dancing are all suitable activities. High impact activities such as jogging, running, contact sports, and high impact aerobics are not recommended. Most people can return to desk jobs between 3-8 weeks following surgery. If you have a heavy job discuss it with your surgeon.
Take the time to consider your reasons for having knee replacement and the activities you’d like to get back to after surgery. Below is a list of different areas of life. Think about each category below and consider how important it is to you, and whether there are activities that you’d like to start doing in that area of your life.
• Sports / hobbies / recreation
• Family / partner relationships
• Activities with children
• Activities with friends
• Community involvement
• Learning
• Health & wellbeing
• Religion / spirituality
• Work / household activities
Now turn to your ‘My Surgery Plan’ document (pages 3-4) and use the space provided to set your own goals to work towards after surgery.