General guidance
Your surgeon and hospital team’s instructions always take priority. What follows is what recovery usually involves after knee, hip or fracture surgery. The plan you are given in hospital is the one to follow.
In hospital
You will usually be helped to stand and take some steps with support soon after surgery, often the same day. Getting moving early is part of the treatment rather than a test of toughness: it reduces the risk of blood clots and chest problems and starts the process of regaining movement.
Pain relief is planned in advance and adjusted as you go. A physiotherapist will work with you on getting in and out of bed, walking with whatever aid you need, and managing stairs before you go home. How long you stay depends on the operation, how you are progressing and what support you have at home.
Your wound
- Keep the dressing dry and intact, and follow the specific instructions you are given
- Do not apply creams, ointments or powders to the wound unless you have been told to
- Some bruising and swelling around the area is expected and settles gradually
- You will be told when the dressing can come off and when any clips or sutures are removed
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy usually begins the day of or the day after surgery, while you are still in hospital, and continues for about two months or more once you are home. You will be given a programme and, in most cases, ongoing physiotherapy after you leave.
Rehabilitation is where a lot of the result comes from, and it is the part you do.
Doing the exercises consistently matters more than doing them intensely. Progress is not linear either. Good days and difficult days both happen, and swelling often increases later in the day or after you have done more than usual. That is normal.
These are typical ranges only, not a guarantee. Your surgeon will advise what to expect in your case.
Your follow-up appointments
You will be given follow-up appointments before you leave hospital. These are used to check the wound, review your progress and imaging, and adjust the rehabilitation plan. A typical schedule is:
- Around 10 to 14 days A wound check, usually with a practice nurse or your GP
- About 6 weeks Review with Dr Hoskins, usually with an X-ray
- Around 3 months, and again at 1 year Further review
- Longer term Ongoing monitoring, including joint registry follow-up for joint replacement
These are typical ranges only, not a guarantee. Your surgeon will advise what to expect in your case.
Keep your appointments even if you feel you are doing well, and bring any questions with you. Registry follow-up is how joint replacements are tracked over the long term, both for you and for the wider picture of how implants perform.
How long does recovery take?
Beyond the physiotherapy and follow-up above, this varies a great deal from person to person and between operations. It depends on your age, general health, how limited you were beforehand, and what you are returning to. Dr Hoskins will discuss what is realistic for your situation, and it is worth asking directly about the things that matter to you: driving, returning to work, and getting back to a specific activity.
When to get in touch
Contact the rooms, your GP, or the hospital if you have:
- Increasing pain, redness, heat or swelling around the wound
- Fluid, pus or bleeding coming from the wound
- A fever, or feeling generally unwell
- Calf pain, or new swelling in the leg
- New numbness, weakness, or a change in the colour of the foot
- A fall, or a sudden change in how the joint feels or works
Who to contact, and when
- In business hours For questions, wound concerns or appointments, the rooms on 027 555 5210 or admin@nkh.co.nz
- After hours Your GP or an urgent care clinic
- Emergency Chest pain, breathlessness, or a hot, swollen, painful calf, call 111