Strengthen before surgery ('prehab')
The stronger you go in, the faster you come back. In the weeks before surgery, walk regularly to tolerance, and work simple strengthening — chair squats or sit-to-stands, straight-leg raises, calf raises, and gentle cycling if available. Even modest gains in quadriceps and hip strength translate into easier first steps after surgery.
If you smoke, stopping even a few weeks before surgery measurably reduces wound and healing complications — it's the single highest-impact preparation step a smoker can take.
Optimize your health and medications
Attend your pre-operative medical clearance and complete requested labs promptly. If you're diabetic, tightening glucose control before surgery lowers infection risk. Review all medications and supplements with the surgical team — blood thinners, anti-inflammatories, and certain supplements need specific stop-dates, and some injections require a waiting interval before surgery.
Dental work deserves mention: significant dental infections should be addressed before joint replacement, since oral bacteria can seed a new implant. Routine cleanings are best completed before surgery too.
Set up your home for week one
Before surgery day: clear walking paths and loose rugs, place a sturdy chair with arms where you'll spend the day, set up a firm-mattress sleeping arrangement on the main floor if stairs are hard, stock easy meals, fill prescriptions in advance, and arrange your helper for the first night or two. A raised toilet seat, shower chair, grabber, and ice packs (or an ice machine) earn their keep in week one.
Plan your ride: you'll need a driver home from surgery and to early appointments until you're cleared to drive.
What to bring on surgery day
Bring your insurance card and ID, a current medication list, loose comfortable clothes (shorts or loose pants that fit over a bandaged knee or hip), flat supportive shoes, and your walker if you already own one. Leave jewelry and valuables home. Arrive on time, follow fasting instructions exactly, and ask every question you have — an informed patient is a calmer, faster-recovering one.
Common Questions
How far in advance should I prepare for joint replacement?
Four to six weeks gives time for meaningful prehab strengthening, medical optimization, and home setup without rushing. Even two focused weeks helps.
Do I need special equipment at home after hip or knee replacement?
A walker for the first weeks is standard. Most patients also benefit from a raised toilet seat, a shower chair, a grabber tool, and plentiful ice. Your care team will tell you if anything else applies to your case.
This guide provides general educational information and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Treatment decisions should always be made in consultation with your surgeon based on your specific anatomy, imaging, and health history.