Welcome to the Gholson Orthopedics family

After your joint replacement surgery you will go back to your home and start your recovery process. It is important to follow our comprehensive program to make sure you achieve your goals after surgery and decrease your risk of complications. After surgery, it is important to stand and walk for at least a few minutes every couple of hours during the day. A short walk to the mailbox or around the house is ok. The important thing is that you get up and start moving around safely immediately after surgery. You will start walking the day after surgery with full weightbearing through your new joint replacement. You will have a walker at first to decrease your risk of falling, and as you get stronger you will transition to a cane and then transition to walking without assistive devices.

You will take either 81mg aspirin twice daily or Eliquis 2.5mg bid to thin your blood and make sure you don’t get a blood clot. It is important you take this medication without exception. Celebrex is also prescribed to decrease pain and inflammation, and it also plays a role in helping you improve your range of motion in both the hip and the knee after surgery. Journavx is a non-narcotic pain medication that will decrease the severity of pain after surgery as well as decrease the duration of your pain. Tylenol and oxycodone are also available as needed for pain. The oxycodone is optional and a narcotic, and our goal is that you minimize how much you take this medication after surgery.

Home health will come to your house twice a week the first 3 weeks after surgery. You will then start outpatient physical therapy where you will work on range motion, walking smoothly, and getting stronger. You will do outpatient physical therapy for an additional 6-10 weeks after you complete your home health therapy, depending on the speed of your progress and your personalized goals.

You will be able to shower immediately after the surgery. We ask that you not submerge your incision or dressing in a bathtub or the ocean after surgery for at least 6 weeks. We will leave your dressing on until your follow-up in clinic at 3 weeks as long as it remains clean. We ask you to avoid placing any creams or ointments on the incision for 6 weeks after surgery.

You will see Dr. Gholson at each of your follow-up visits in clinic personally. Your post-operative care will not be delegated to a physician’s assistant or a nurse. Your outcome is of the utmost importance, and you will work directly with Dr. Gholson to achieve your goals. You will see Dr. Gholson at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 4 months, 1 year, and then annually in clinic after surgery. If additional visits are desired they will always be provided.

If you have any issues, questions, concerns, or problems along the way, the first thing to do it to contact our clinic at 408-866-3874 to schedule an immediate follow-up appointment. Surgical patients are always prioritized, and you will often be able to see Dr. Gholson or one of his team members within 48 hours when there is a concern. If you are not having an emergency, Dr. Gholson wants to personally see you and manage any post-operative concerns that may arise.

You will always be treated as a member of our surgical family after your procedure, and we will be available to you and your family after surgery whenever you need us. We take your outcome seriously, and it is our goal to exceed your expectations in every way. We appreciate your trust in our care and we appreciate your willingness to share your positive experiences with your family and friends.  Welcome to the Gholson Orthopedics family.