Hip and Knee Replacement FAQs

You can call Dr. Frisch's Auburn Hills office during working hours, Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, or request an appointment online using the appointment request form. The office is located at 3100 Cross Creek Parkway, Suite 200, Auburn Hills, MI 48326.

No referral is needed to be seen; Dr. Frisch is happy to see anyone. However, some insurance plans require a referral before you see a specialist. If you do not have one, check with your insurance company before your visit to find out whether a referral is necessary for your coverage.

Bring a driver's license or valid ID, your insurance information, a referral letter if your plan requires one, and a list of your medications. Bring a CD of any X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans, not just the written reports, so the images can be reviewed. A written list of questions helps you remember everything you want to ask.

Yes. Your medical file is handled with the utmost respect for your privacy. Staff members are bound by strict confidentiality requirements as a condition of employment, and the contents of your medical file are not released without your consent. If you have questions about your records, ask the office staff.

It may be time to consider hip or knee replacement when arthritis pain limits daily activities such as walking, climbing stairs, or getting up from a chair, wakes you at night, or no longer improves with nonsurgical care. Dr. Frisch reviews your symptoms, exam, X-rays, and goals to help you decide.

Nonsurgical options include rest, activity changes that avoid high-impact movements, weight loss, physical or occupational therapy, anti-inflammatory and other pain-relieving medications, and injections such as corticosteroids. For knee arthritis, viscosupplementation may also be an option. Dr. Frisch does not recommend long-term opioid use for arthritis and can discuss alternatives with you.

Delaying an orthopedic surgery that your condition requires can lead to ongoing pain, loss of joint motion, joint weakness, numbness, and an earlier onset of arthritis. Dr. Frisch can explain what waiting may mean for your specific condition so you can weigh the timing of treatment with confidence.

Complete your medical clearance and preoperative testing no later than 2 weeks before surgery. These tests can be done by your family physician, with results sent directly to Dr. Frisch's office. Cancel dental appointments from 3 weeks before surgery through 3 months after, and avoid injections into the surgical joint for 3 months beforehand.

Yes, if you can. Continue your normal activity as tolerated and follow the preoperative hip or knee exercise program. Strengthening the muscles that support your joint and keeping your range of motion before surgery helps, and many patients who gain strength beforehand find it easier to regain strength afterward.

Wash with Hibiclens surgical soap for 3 days before surgery and again the morning of surgery, leaving it on your hip or knee for 3 to 5 minutes. Skip lotions, perfumes, and powders. A nasal swab checks for staph bacteria, with ointment prescribed if positive. Report any illness, broken skin, or rash, and stop smoking.

Put a non-slip mat in your tub or shower, remove throw rugs, secure electrical cords, and add night lights. Prepare or buy meals ahead, do laundry, and arrange help with housework and yard work for at least 2 weeks. Set up a spot to elevate your leg, and arrange pet care for the first few days.

These conditions can raise certain risks. Obesity, diabetes, and liver disease increase the risk of infection, and diabetes or corticosteroid use can slow wound healing. Blood clots are also more common in patients with obesity. Dr. Frisch evaluates your overall health before surgery and builds a plan to help minimize these risks.

As with any surgery, risks include reactions to anesthesia, bleeding, infection, stiffness, nerve damage, and blood clots. Complications are uncommon, and infection is very rare in healthy patients. Dr. Frisch will discuss the risks of your specific procedure, and you are encouraged to talk them over with your primary care provider and family as well.

Bring your photo ID, insurance card, and a friend or family member. Wear loose clothing, such as shorts or wide-leg sweatpants, that fits over the bandage on your hip or knee. If you are staying overnight in the hospital, you may also want to bring some clothes from home.

You check in at surgical registration and go to the preoperative area, where an IV is started for fluids and medications. You meet the anesthesia team, your nurse, and Dr. Frisch, who marks your surgical site and answers your questions. Your family or friends wait in the waiting area during surgery.

Before surgery, you meet with the anesthesiologist and their team to decide which type of anesthesia is best for you. Both spinal and general anesthesia are considered. Joint replacement is performed under general or regional anesthesia, and the choice depends on your health and the team's recommendation for your situation.

Many qualified patients can. Outpatient joint replacement uses the same implants and techniques as a hospital procedure. After a few hours in recovery, you go home once you are tolerating liquids, walking, and doing your therapy exercises safely. If you stay overnight, you move to the hospital floor after about an hour in recovery.

No. Not every patient is a candidate for outpatient joint replacement. Dr. Frisch considers your medical history, overall health, home support, and goals. Good candidates are generally healthy, have help at home, and commit to their recovery instructions. The decision is made together with Dr. Frisch and your family.

Your first postoperative visit is about 3 weeks after surgery, unless you are told otherwise. At this visit, Dr. Frisch's team checks your wound and incision, takes X-rays, reviews your activity, and schedules any additional follow-up visits you need. Additional instructions about your activity are discussed at this visit.

Dr. Frisch uses a multimodal, preventive approach to pain management, combining several treatments so you stay comfortable. Anti-inflammatory medication helps reduce pain and swelling, and icing and elevating your leg also help. If you need a prescription refill, call the office and allow 24 hours' notice, since most pain medication must be picked up at the office.

The usual length of time is 4 weeks after surgery. Blood thinning medication helps minimize the risk of blood clots. If a condition prevents you from taking aspirin, discuss it before discharge. If you took an anticoagulant before surgery or your doctor recommended a specific protocol, follow the instructions you are given.

You can shower right away because your dressing is waterproof, but do not take baths or soak. Pat the dressing dry and do not clean the incision. The outer dressing comes off about 7 days after surgery; the waterproof mesh underneath can be removed at your 3-week visit or at home at 4 weeks.

Yes. Some patients only have redness around the incision, while others bruise down the entire leg. Both are normal. Swelling can extend to your foot and often increases during the first 2 weeks, while bruising typically resolves over 10 to 14 days. Call the office if swelling comes with coolness or numbness in your foot.

Wear compression stockings on both legs for at least 48 hours after surgery. You may take them off at night, and you can stop wearing them once you are walking regularly. If you have questions about your stockings or notice new swelling in your calf, call Dr. Frisch's office.

You can put as much weight as you can tolerate on your surgical leg right after surgery. Most patients walk on the day of surgery, with or without a cane, walker, or crutches, and your therapist shows you how to use them. Many patients use a walking aid for 2 to 4 weeks, until they walk without a limp.

Yes. You can use stairs right after surgery, and physical therapy will show you the safest way to do it. Heavy use of stairs can increase swelling and discomfort, so try to limit how many stairs you climb during the first weeks of your recovery.

Limit activity to your home during the first week, doing your home exercises, icing, and elevating as instructed. Increase activity a little each day and let pain guide you. Most recovery happens in the first 4 to 6 weeks, with the rest over the next year. If overdoing it causes pain or swelling that rest does not relieve, call the office.

Most patients do physical therapy to rebuild strength and motion, but the plan is individualized. Dr. Frisch's team determines whether you need outpatient therapy and when it should start. When scheduled, outpatient physical therapy is typically 2 to 3 times a week for an average of 6 to 8 weeks, along with your home exercise program.

Call if you have a consistent fever above 101.5°F, more drainage or swelling, pain your medication does not control, trouble bearing weight on your leg, severe insomnia, confusion, or foot or calf swelling with coolness or numbness. In an emergency, dial 911. Otherwise, contact the team before going to the emergency department.

A point of contact is available 24 hours a day for any concerns after surgery, and you receive contact details after your procedure. The after-hours number is (248) 377-8000. In an emergency, dial 911. For surgical concerns, contact Dr. Frisch's team first instead of going to the emergency department unless necessary.

You can usually drive once you no longer need narcotic pain medication and feel strong and safe behind the wheel. After left-leg surgery in an automatic car, that may be soon after surgery. After right-leg surgery, most patients wait at least a few weeks. Ask Dr. Frisch's team to confirm when driving is safe for you.

It depends on your job, your comfort, and how your recovery progresses. With minimal swelling, people with desk jobs often return within about 3 days to 1 week. Jobs that require standing typically take 2 to 4 weeks, and hard labor usually takes 6 to 8 weeks. Dr. Frisch will guide your timeline.

This varies by procedure and can range from a few days to a few months. During the first week, stay mostly at home and focus on your exercises, icing, and elevation to keep swelling down. From there, increase your activity gradually as Dr. Frisch and your physical therapist advise.

If you were given hip precautions, follow them for about 6 weeks. You can typically stop once you are back to your normal activity level, comfortable, and no longer need pain medication. Precautions depend on your surgery; with an anterior approach, hip precautions are usually not needed for stability. Follow Dr. Frisch's instructions for your hip.

Video: [Dr. Frisch or PA video – hip precautions]

Common precautions include avoiding bending your hip while turning your foot inward, never crossing your legs or bending your hip past 90 degrees, avoiding low chairs, using a grabber instead of bending down, and using an elevated toilet seat. These help protect your new hip from dislocating while it heals. Your instructions may differ.

You may sleep on your back or on either side. If you sleep on your side, place a pillow between your legs for as long as Dr. Frisch's team instructs. Your physical therapist will help you into a side-lying position the first time and show you how to do it safely, so do not try it alone at first.

Modern hip implants are designed for long-term durability. Many patients enjoy excellent function for 15 to 20 years or longer, depending on individual factors and activity level. Proper follow-up care and sensible activity management help your new hip provide many years of reliable function.

Unless you are told otherwise, you should be able to bend your knee at least 90 degrees by your 3-week follow-up visit. Doing your home exercises and physical therapy as instructed is the best way to regain motion. Let Dr. Frisch's team know if you are having trouble reaching this goal.

It is common to notice a temperature difference between your surgical and nonsurgical knee. The warmth comes from healing and increased blood flow to the area. In most patients, it lasts about 6 to 12 months. Call the office if warmth comes with fever, increased drainage, or swelling.

You may notice numbness or hypersensitivity around your knee. The incision affects small sensory nerves that supply the skin, which can reduce feeling. This often improves with time, although sensation occasionally does not fully return. Numbness around the incision does not affect how your knee moves or functions.

You may sleep on your back or on either side after knee replacement. It is common to have trouble sleeping at first, and this gradually improves. Take rest breaks during the day, and set up a comfortable spot where you can properly elevate your leg to help control swelling.

Modern knee implants are designed for long-term durability. Many patients enjoy excellent function for 15 to 20 years or longer, depending on activity level and overall health. Proper follow-up care and sensible activity management help your new knee provide many years of reliable function.

Most patients can safely resume sexual activity after hip replacement. A good time to consider it is when you are back to your normal activities without pain. Keep hip bending under 90 degrees, take a more passive role at first, avoid extreme positions, use pillows for support, and follow any hip precautions you were given.

Returning to all activities, sports, and exercise can take up to 4 to 6 months. Dr. Frisch will tell you which exercises to do and for how long, and you may be referred to a physical therapist for strengthening and range-of-motion work. Your timeline depends on your procedure, health, and progress.

You can shower right away, but avoid baths, soaking, and other water immersion while your incision heals. Your dressing and the mesh underneath are waterproof for showering only. Ask Dr. Frisch's team when it is safe to soak, swim, or start water therapy, since timing depends on how your incision is healing.

Often, yes. After joint replacement, contact Dr. Frisch's office before any dental work or other invasive procedure. Antibiotics are often recommended in these situations and should be discussed with both Dr. Frisch's team and your dental or surgical provider. Avoid scheduling routine dental work in the first 3 months after surgery.