Typical Healing Times for Bone Surgery and Things to Avoid
The growing tendency for humans to live longer shows signs of being a mixed blessing. It can be a comfort to continue enjoying the company of a good friend or much-loved relative. However, their extra years are often plagued by longevity-related medical conditions. In addition, the increasingly sedentary twenty-first-century lifestyle has also taken its toll on younger people with record levels of obesity. Sadly, the combined result has been a higher incidence of musculoskeletal disorders in both groups and a significant growth in the demand for bone surgery.
With these findings in mind, it could be in your interest to learn more about some of the more common orthopaedic procedures and how they might affect you. Apart from traumatic injuries like fractures and dislocations, most relevant pathologies generally develop slowly. Often, they can take years to manifest symptoms that might motivate a patient to seek medical attention. Not surprisingly, the prescribed interventions can sometimes also take a while to display the evidence of their success. For example, if you have had bone surgery to replace a damaged hip or knee joint, you shouldn’t expect to be fully mobile and pain-free overnight.
How Long Does Recovery Take After Bone Surgery?
Recovery times depend on the degree of intervention required and the approach used to provide it. For example, it will require less time to recover from a torn meniscus repair than a knee replacement. Also, your surgeon can significantly accelerate your post-operative progress by adopting the minimally invasive arthroscopic approach to replace a damaged joint. However, in practice, a patient’s actions are as crucial to recovery as the skill of the person performing the bone surgery.
What to Do After Bone Surgery
You will need to follow your surgeon’s advice to the letter. Stick to the recommended exercise programme and use your cane or walker as prescribed. Don’t get back behind the wheel until your doctor confirms you are ready to drive, and never when you are taking painkilling medication. Avoid slippery surfaces and plush sofas that could leave you struggling to stand up again.
It is also essential to keep your expectations realistic. Although joint replacement or arthroplasty is widely regarded as the most successful form of bone surgery to date, it’s not a miracle cure. Many patients of employment age can return to work after six to twelve weeks. Nevertheless, it could take a year or more to experience the full benefits of your procedure, and you may still need to use a cane.
Naturally, picking the right surgeon will play a significant role in your procedure’s success. Consequently, many local and overseas doctors refer their patients to Pretoria’s Life Wilgers Hospital. You can click here to learn why this has become their preferred choice for bone surgery and contact our offices today.