Postoperative Care

Postoperative instructions are included in your discharge paperwork, but below are detailed instructions on what to do and what to expect.

Pain Control/ medications

The most important things you can do to control pain are to elevate and ice the extremity.                                                      

Cold Therapy

Icing your extremity will help alleviate pain and swelling substantially.  Here are tips for keeping cool without getting frostbite.

Dressing care

If you have a splint (hard plaster under an ACE bandage), you will keep it on and dry until your visit.  Otherwise, you will remove at 24-48 hours after surgery.  

Travel postoperatively

In general, you may travel safely in the first few weeks following your surgery.  Extra care must be taken with lower extremity surgery and with air travel in the first 24 hours.

Wound Care

If you have a removable dressing, you will need to keep your incision clean, dry, and bandaged when you are not showering or washing your hands before meals or after the restroom.

Return to work and play

If you have a splint (hard plaster and ACE wrap) on, you should be extremely careful with activity.  If your dressing is off, you may slowly progress your activity until 4 weeks, when you will be unrestricted.