Before any orthopedic surgery, three questions matter MOST:
- What will this operation do for me, and how likely is that?
- What happens if I wait, or choose something else?
- What will recovery really involve, week by week?
If you leave the appointment with clear answers to those three, you can make a good decision. Everything else on this page helps you get those answers, whether you’re facing surgery on your knee, hip, shoulder, spine or foot.
About the operation
- What exactly will you do? Ask for a plain description. What’s removed, repaired, replaced or joined
- Which of my symptoms should it help? Pain, weakness, stiffness and instability don’t always improve equally. Ask which one the operation targets
- How much better should I expect to be? Pain-free, much better, or somewhat better? And by when?
- How often does it work for someone like me? Your age, activity level and health change the odds. Ask for your own picture, not the average
- Is there a smaller operation that could work? A partial rather than a total, or a keyhole rather than an open operation, for example
The alternatives, and what happens if I wait
- What have we not tried yet? Physical therapy, injections, weight loss, bracing or activity changes
- What happens if I wait six months? For many conditions, waiting is safe and some people improve. For others, waiting makes the operation harder or the result worse. Ask which yours is
- Is there a point where it becomes urgent? Know the signs that would change the plan
- Will I be a worse candidate later? For some operations, strength and fitness before surgery shape how you recover
The most useful question is often the simplest one: what happens if I don’t have it?
Recovery and time off
- How long in hospital? Many joint replacements now go home the same day or the next
- When can I walk without aids, drive, and go back to work? Ask for a desk job and a physical job separately if that matters to you
- How much help will I need at home? Stairs, showering, cooking and getting dressed can all be harder for a few weeks
- When will I feel back to normal? Most orthopedic operations take months, not weeks, to reach their full result
- What will the pain be like, and how will it be managed? Ask about options besides strong painkillers
For a sense of the timelines, see knee replacement recovery week by week, hip replacement recovery week by week and rotator cuff repair recovery.
The rehab plan
- Will I have physical therapy, and when does it start? Some rehab starts the same day. Some operations need weeks of protection first
- What am I NOT allowed to do, and for how long? Weight limits, movement limits, a sling, a brace or a boot
- Can I start exercises before surgery? Getting stronger and fitter beforehand may make the early weeks easier, and it helps you learn the exercises while you’re not in pain
- Who do I call with questions after I go home? Get a name and a number
Risks specific to me
- What are the most common complications of this operation? And the most serious, even if rare
- Does my health change the risk? Diabetes, weight, smoking, heart or lung problems, blood thinners and past clots all matter
- What can I do to lower my risk? Stopping smoking before surgery helps wounds and bone heal. Getting blood sugar under control helps too
- If it doesn’t work, what then? Ask whether a second operation would be possible, and what it would involve
Experience and second opinions
- How often do you do this operation? For many procedures, surgeons and hospitals who do more of them tend to have fewer complications. It’s a fair, normal question
- How many are done at this hospital each year? Teams that do an operation often usually have well-practiced routines around it
- Would you have this operation, in my position? Many surgeons will answer honestly
- Is a second opinion reasonable? Good surgeons welcome it, especially for spine surgery or any operation you’re unsure about. See do I need back surgery?
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has its own list of questions you can bring along.
Getting good answers
- Write your questions down and take them with you
- Bring someone to listen and take notes. It’s easy to miss things when you’re anxious
- Ask for anything you don’t understand to be explained again, in plain words
- Ask for written information about the operation and the recovery
Go to the emergency department if
- You’re waiting for back surgery and develop new trouble peeing, leaking pee or poo, numbness around your genitals or buttocks, or weakness in both legs. These can be signs of cauda equina syndrome, which needs same-day treatment
- You’re waiting for any surgery and get a sudden painful, swollen calf, chest pain or shortness of breath
Tell your surgical team before the day if
- You have a fever, a cold or any infection, including a urine or dental infection
- You have a cut, sore, rash or ingrown toenail near where you’ll be operated on, or anywhere on the same limb
- Your medicines have changed, especially blood thinners, diabetes medicines or anything new
- You’ve had a blood clot in the past and haven’t mentioned it yet
A good surgeon wants your questions, because the right ones turn a big decision into an informed one.