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Before and After Orthopaedic Surgery
A practical guide before and after orthopaedic surgery: preparation, medicines, records, the first days, wounds, pain, crutches and braces, rehabilitation, return to activity and warning signs.
What an orthopaedic surgeon discusses before surgery
Records and test results
Prepare the current tests required by the centre, a list of medicines and supplements, allergy information and previous records concerning the operated area. If X-rays, MRI or CT have been performed, access to the images themselves is useful, not only the report.
Medicines
Do not stop or change medication doses yourself before surgery. Anticoagulants, antiplatelets, diabetes medicines and some preparations affecting clotting or anaesthesia need particular discussion. Follow the plan agreed with the treating team and anaesthetist.
Infection, wounds and general health
Report fever, active infection, a purulent skin lesion, a new wound near the surgical site or a significant deterioration in health before elective surgery. In some situations, postponement is safer than operating during an active problem.
Planning the first days at home
Arrange transport and help for the first days, prepare required crutches or a brace, and remove obstacles that increase fall risk. After lower limb surgery, safe use of stairs and the bathroom also matters.
On the day of surgery
Fasting, morning medication and arrival instructions depend on anaesthesia and the centre’s procedures. Follow the instructions given before surgery exactly. The team will reconfirm the side, planned procedure and relevant health and allergy information.
The first hours and days after surgery
After surgery, pain, circulation, sensation, the wound and the ability to get up safely are monitored. Weight-bearing, movement and crutch use depend on the procedure performed. Some operations allow early weight-bearing, while others require partial or complete unloading for a defined period.
Pain and swelling
Pain and swelling are expected after most orthopaedic operations, but should gradually lessen. Take pain relief according to your instructions. Elevation and cooling may help after selected procedures if recommended and if there are no contraindications related to the wound or skin sensation.
Wound and dressing
Maintain the dressing according to discharge instructions. Do not apply unprescribed ointments, powders or other preparations. The first dressing change, when the wound may get wet and suture removal depend on the procedure and wound closure.
Crutches, braces and range of motion
There is no single protocol for all operations. Restrictions after joint replacement, ligament reconstruction, tendon repair or foot surgery may differ completely. If a brace is prescribed, its settings and duration of use are part of treatment and should not be changed on the basis of general internet advice.
Rehabilitation
Each stage of postoperative rehabilitation has a specific aim: protecting the repaired structure, controlling swelling, restoring movement, then strength and function. Faster is not always better. After tissue repair or reconstruction, overly aggressive exercise may be as harmful as prolonged immobilisation.
When can you drive, return to work and play sport?
There is no universal number of days for all procedures. Driving requires safe entry into the vehicle, full control of the steering wheel and pedals, and the ability to make an emergency manoeuvre without restriction from pain, a brace or medication affecting psychomotor performance. Return to work also depends on job demands; return to sport depends on restored function, not time alone.
Warning signs after surgery
Contact with the treating team or urgent assessment may be needed for:
- increasing fever or chills;
- rapidly increasing redness, swelling or wound discharge;
- pain that clearly worsens instead of gradually easing;
- new loss of sensation, marked movement weakness or a cold or pale limb;
- sudden breathlessness, chest pain or fainting;
- substantial sudden calf swelling or other symptoms suggesting a thrombotic complication.
The key principle
Instructions for your specific operation take priority over general guidance. Restrictions on movement, weight-bearing or brace use reflect what was repaired or reconstructed during surgery.
Practical postoperative resources
Medical author
Tomasz Poboży - orthopaedic surgeon, MD, PhD — specialist in orthopaedics and musculoskeletal traumatology.
This educational material does not replace an individual consultation or medical examination. Last updated: 11 September 2026.