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Side Effects of Knee Surgery
After knee surgery, you can expect some side effects from the trauma your knee gets from being cut and invaded by surgical instruments. So icing the knee, as well as other methods of reducing inflammation are useful to keep in mind.
When you have surgery, there is usually a lot of inflammation in the knee. This inflammation can cause pain and slow down the healing process. Icing the knee can help to reduce this inflammation and speed up the healing process. Elevating the knee, which can help circulation and reduce swelling is useful, too.
Inflammation is a natural response to injury. It causes redness, pain and swelling in the area of the body affected by an injury or surgery. After surgery, your knee can become inflamed because of all the trauma it experienced from being cut and invaded by surgical instruments. This inflammation can slow down the healing process if not managed properly
How to Reduce Inflammation
While icing is one of the most common methods for reducing inflammation, you can also wrap your knee, as well as take anti inflammatory medicines, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or even paracetemol. Natural remedies such as turmeric, either as a paste on the knee joint, or taken in food or as a turmeric supplement, can also help. Remember to also strengthen the muscles around the knee
The length of time you need to ice your knee for will vary depending on the type of surgery you have and the extent of the inflammation. In general, though, it is recommended that you ice your knee for 15-20 minutes every 2-4 hours, for the first few days after surgery.
You should check the instructions your doctor provided when you got home, but Icing can be performed in a few different ways.
One way to ice your knee is with an ice pack or gel pack wrapped in a thin towel before being applied directly to the skin. Never apply ice directly to your skin because it can cause frostbite and further damage tissue. If you don’t have an ice pack, you can use a bag of frozen peas instead
The side effects of surgery on your knee include weakening and potential damage to the muscles in that area, as well as increased swelling and pain. These side effects mean it is even more important not to overdo exercises or movements after surgery
It is recommended that you ice your knee for 15-20 minutes every 2-4 hours, for the first few days after surgery.
Icing Your Knee After Surgery: How Long Should You Ice Your Knee?
Surgery is supposed to solve your problem, but your body experiences the cutting and other procedures as traumatic. So in a way, it’s like treating an injury. Depending on the severity of the surgery, how long after you surgery will depend on your overall health and the degree of the procedure. Some surgeries like a simple cartilage or meniscus repair, may not be too bad, whereas a total knee replacement has a major impact. The question of how long an interval you ice your knee is pretty standard, not so long, 15-30 minutes should be enough. But always be sure that your skin does not get too cold; otherwise there’s a risk of frostbite. For how many days you ice, also depends on your situation and the nature of the surgery. Three to four days may be enough. Consult with your surgeon to get the best advice for your situation.
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