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GENERAL INFORMATION What to do in an Emergency Cast Instructions or Problems POST-OPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS ACL Reconstructive Surgery Arthroscopic Knee Surgery Back/Spine Surgery Hand/Wrist Surgery Office Injection Site Care Shoulder Arthroscopy Total Joint/Hip Replacement	1) Depending on the severity of your knee injury, or the extensiveness of your surgery, your physician may require the following post-operatively: Large ace from foot to thigh Full weight bearing 2) During the first 48 hours post-op, you should keep your leg elevated above your heart. Keep on dressing and ace bandage. 3) Keep the dressing and ace bandage clean and dry. DO NOT REMOVE until 1 day after surgery. After 1 day, you may remove the ace bandage and gauze, but you must keep puncture wounds covered with band-aids. If you have small steri-strips on the incisions, DO NOT remove those. Simply cover with band-aids. You may shower on 3rd day after surgery. 4) You may exercise by doing the following: Ankle Pumps: With brace on, pump your ankle up and down. Straight Leg Raises: Lifting your entire leg straight up and down. Knee Flexion: You may also work on bending, or flexion, of your knee according to your physician's instructions. 5) You may ice your knee, 20 minutes on, then 20 minutes off. Never apply ice directly to skin. 6) Take pain medication as directed by your physician. 7) Try to sleep with your leg elevated above your heart using pillows. 8) Call the office if you have a temperature above 101.0, any drainage, or unusual redness. 9) Call the office within 2 days after your surgery to schedule a post-op visit with your physician. 11/04