The following guidelines will help you recover quickly and safely during the postoperative period. Please do not hesitate to contact our office if you have further questions or need clarification of this information.
Activity
• Minimize activity for the first 24-72 hours
• Wear sling at all times except moving elbow (see below) and showering
• You may remove your sling several times daily to straighten and bend your elbow. Keep arm next to the body at all times.
• Keep your elbow close to your side while performing these exercises.
• No lifting, pushing or pulling
• Hand and wrist motion without restriction
• Sitting up in a chair or recliner may be more comfortable than lying down. This includes sleeping.
Cold Therapy
• Ice helps to reduce pain and swelling
• Place ice to knee 6-8 times a day for 20 minutes at a time
OR if available
Cold Therapy Unit
• This machine helps to reduce pain and swelling
• Use the machine as much as possible for the first week
• Change the ice every 6-8 hours to keep the temperature around 42 degrees
• Never place the polar pad directly on the skin.
Wound Care
• You may remove the dressing 72 hours after surgery and shower. Use warm soapy water over the incisions
• Pat the wound dry, leave Steri strips in place if you have them. If you have sutures place bandaids over the nylon sutures to prevent skin irritation
• No baths or whirlpools until 21 days after the surgery
Prescriptions
• You may have been given some long-acting local medication at the end of your surgery, or you may have a pain catheter in. These help with pain control in the day(s) following surgery. Don’t be surprised when they wear off if it gets sorer.
• You will be given a prescription for a narcotic (Percocet, Vicodin etc.)
• You may be given a prescription for an anti-inflammatory (Naprosyn or Motrin).
• It is OK to take an anti-inflammatory in addition to the narcotic to assist with pain control
• Do not take additional Tylenol with your prescription pain medicine as it already has Tylenol in it
• Narcotics cause constipation. Stay well hydrated and use a stool softener twice daily when taking narcotics.
Follow-Up
• Your postoperative visit 10-14 days following your surgery will have been scheduled prior to your surgery
• If you do not have this appointment, call the office
Warning Signs
• Pain unrelieved by medication or worsening pain
• Nausea and vomiting you cannot control
• Fever over 100.0 after the first 48 hours
• Persistent drainage from the incisions (some spotting is normal on the bandage for the first 5 days)
• Increasing redness around incisions
Instructions Following First Post-Op Visit
• Continue using the pillow until you are 3 weeks out from your surgery
• Sling until next follow up
• No lifting, pushing or pulling
• Hand and wrist motion without restriction
• Elbow motion with arm next to the body
• Cold Therapy is no longer necessary but can be done for comfort if desired. Will want to use if after Physical Therapy, so keep it around
Call the Orthopedics office at 541-754-1276 with questions
After hours call Orthopedics at 541-754-1150
