Joint replacement recovery

You are counting weeks until you can walk, drive or lift the way you did before surgery. The published numbers give you a frame to count against. Cleveland Clinic says the recovery time for a hip replacement can take up to 12 weeks.

Benchmarks by joint

Ankle replacement has its own early stage. For a total ankle replacement, Cleveland Clinic says you will wear a cast or splint for the first two weeks to keep your ankle immobilized. That is one dated benchmark you can write on a calendar.

• How long is recovery after ankle arthroplasty?

Before the operation

Two questions look at the decision rather than the recovery. They ask who the procedure suits and what the trade-offs are.

• Who is a good candidate for hip resurfacing?
• What are the pros and cons of joint replacement?

More published reading

Cleveland Clinic also publishes pages on hip revision surgery and toe joint replacement. An overview of physical therapy gives background on rehab for readers in Elmwood Park and elsewhere.

The check before the next step up

Before you move from one stage to the next, write down what your surgical team told you to expect at that stage and what you actually did this week. Bring both to your next appointment.