The ACL Post-Op Prep List

Little Things To Do Before Surgery
So That You Can Survive After Surgery

Download the The ACL Post-Op Prep List in Adobe Acrobat© format (36 Kb)


Presented in no particular order, here are a few things you usually don't hear about, but that can be real lifesavers. If you have any other suggestions to add, feel free to e-mail me. Thanks to of the "members" of Bob's ACL WWWBoard whose collective experience has made this list possible. With special thanks to Bob, Margaret, Geff and Priscilla for their many contributions. And thanks, too, to the folks at The Center for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine for allowing me to include suggestions from their list.

  • Be sure to be thorough in questioning of your surgeon about both your surgery and recovery. This list provides many of the questions you may want to ask.

  • Can't calm your nerves the night before surgery? Try listening to relaxation tapes.

    Another way to relax: Get a full body massage the night before surgery.

  • Make sure you eat when you take your pain medications. You won't want to, but it's in your best interest, otherwise you will probably get sick to your stomach. Rices cakes are a good choice, they're filling, and don't spoil easily so they can be kept by your bed. A few graham crackers and a small glass of milk are also good, if you feel like venturing out to the kitchen.

  • Get your pain, antibiotic and any other medication prescriptions filled the day before surgery. It'll save the hassle of trying to get them filled as you're being discharged, and avoid you (or your OS) forgetting them completely.

  • Buy a pill organizer.

  • Lay off the caffeine for about a week before surgery to avoid caffeine withdrawal headaches the day of surgery. Also, since caffeine is a diuretic, you may also want to lay off it for awhile after surgery, to cut down on the number of trips you need to make to the bathroom.

  • Work out your good leg as well as your bad leg pre-op. It will probably have to support the better part of your weight for the first week or two post-op.

  • If your bedroom is upstairs, make sure you have a room downstairs set up for you to live in for the first couple weeks. You won't want to do stairs ... you won't feel like it. Do a dry run for a couple of days before your surgery; you'll be surprised how many times you'll run upstairs for things you forgot.

  • If it isn't possible to bunk in downstairs, you may want to set up your bedroom like a college dorm room, with a small fridge, micorwave, etc. close to your bed, as well as a TV nad VCR if you don't already have one in your bedroom.

  • Get a table with wheels. Tie a rope to the table with a small weight on the other end. You load the table with things you need, say from the kitchen - icepacks, food, beverages, water, etc. Throw the weighted rope to your hang out spot, crutch over and sit down. Pick up the rope and pull the table of goodies over to you. Use some tape on the linoleum/carpet transition area to smooth the ride.

  • A stable chair on wheels (such as an office chair) can also be a good method for transporting things, just push it along in front of you ... but do not use it to support yourself as it's not that stable.

  • Gas up the car (even though you may not use it for a while).

  • Before surgery be sure that once you're ready to start driving again, you can handle your vehicle. You may not be able to climb into a big four-wheel drive. Plus an older model van, or a small car, may not offer you enough leg room. Check it out in advance by practicing with an immobilizer on. The leg room thing also applies to any vehicle you may be riding in. And don't forget to figure out where and how you'll stow your crutches. This starts with whatever vehicle you'll be riding home in from surgery.

  • Clean the house. Do the laundry.

  • If you live alone, you can hire a maid service to clean the house. It can really help your attitude to have a clean house.

  • Setup your home recovery area with meds, reading material, alarm clock, TV guide, and remote controls with fresh batteries and make sure your remotes can function from there. If you don't have cable, get it installed.

  • Determine what kinds of PT exercises you'll be doing at home and what you'll need to do them. Then set up your home rehab area before surgery. This includes asking the PT what kinds of equipment you'll need (i.e. stationary bike, ankle weights, etc.) and then buying/borrowing these things.

  • If you don't have a recliner, consider renting one. It's a great way to elevate your leg.

  • Figure out how you will elevate the leg - pillows or whatever, and have that set up. Also, strategically place footstools around the house, so you can prop up your leg when you're sitting up. An idea for cheap footstool: A plastic milk crate with a pillow on top of it.

  • Another use for pillows: Find all the ones in your house and have them handy. Pillows make it easier for you to find a comfortable position. Eventually you will be able to put them between your legs when you sleep and then you'll be able to sleep on your side.

  • Have Desitin on hand for a sore bottom which may develop if you lounge around a lot (shifting position frequently won't prevent it, just spread it around!)

  • Keep in mind that being on crutches is a major effort. Allow extra time for getting around and for doing things. And remember that being on crutches can be very exhausting. That quick trip down the block to mail a letter is going to be a major job.

  • Ask your surgeon if you can wear underwear during the operation. You'll feel much more relaxed and comfortable.

  • If you're having outpatient surgery, check with the hospital or outpatient surgery center, as well as your insurance, on the policy for an overnight stay, should it become necessary.

  • You'll need clothes that are VERY loose fitting, and easy to put on, when you come home from the hospital. Shorts are OK for warm weather, but if it's cold outside think about an oversize pair of sweatpants with zippered legs or breakaway basketball warm up pants. Women can also go with a big floppy dress. Also for the women, a jumper to come home from the hospital is nice if you can't get sweat pants on.

  • The same "fashion advice" holds true for the first week or so after surgery. You'll want to wear something that's easy to take off and put on while wearing a brace; and makes adjusting/taking off/putting on the brace, icing and patella massage convenient without having to get undressed. Plus it'll make it easier to show off your scars.

  • Collect all the clothes for the first couple of days after surgery so you won't have to go searching.

  • Rearrange your closet/drawers so it's easy to find the comfy clothes you will be wearing.

  • If you'll be having surgery in winter you'll be facing slippery surfaces like snow and ice. It's a good idea to invest in a pair of "non-slip ice-cleats" that pull on over the bottoms of your shoes and are held in place by elastic or rubber webbing.

  • Be prepared to be up a lot at night. It can be tough to sleep that first week or two after surgery. Plan things to do in the middle of the night that won't wake up the rest of the house. And realize that you'll be catnapping during the day.

  • Check with your physician to see if a CPM (continuous passive motion) machine will be used at home after surgery. Figure out where you'll set it up (i.e. bed, couch, etc.) and figure out how you'll move it around if you need to.

  • Keep a towel on linoleum floors to soak up any water. Crutches and wet linoleum is a tragedy waiting to happen.

  • Athletic water bottles is a good way to drink water when lying down. The insulated ones are good to keep cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot.

  • Call some old distant friends.

  • Make sure you tell all of your friends and family to come visit you. Being lonely for a couple of weeks is depressing. (You'll find out who your real friends are.) Suggest coming over to play board games, order out for Chinese, watch the Simpsons, or any of about a million other things.

  • Stock up on books or magazines so that you will have plenty of reading material.

  • Jigsaw puzzles and word puzzle books are a good way to pass the time.

  • Make sure you get caught up on your bills before surgery. Walking to the mailbox might be a challenge, so take care of everything before hand.

  • If you must, bring work home to keep you occupied. Ask your company if you can get a laptop. Talk to your manager or supervisor about telecommuting while you're laid up.

  • If you hate your job then work on that resume. Call some headhunters while you're recovering.

  • Stock up on videos from the store (remember, if you rent you must return ... so have someone to return them). Comedies are a good choice to lift your spirits.

  • You can even rent (or buy) a video game system, which can be an addicting way to pass the time.

  • Work out using dumbells or do crunches with your knee straight of course.

  • Recruit your parents to take care of you for the first couple of days. Put them to work. Have mom cook or dad work on a fix up project you have been putting off.

  • Get outdoors!! Take a walk around the neighborhood on your crutches. Also, set up a chair outdoors so you can catch some sun on nice days.

  • Carpool with a friend or coworker to go to work when you think you are mentally ready to go back.

  • Make sure you have a pair of slip on shoes/slippers. It's going to be tough to bend down and tie those laces.

  • If you can't use slip on shoes for some reason, you can use elastic shoe laces. Some teen jewelry stores and most medical supply stores sell them.

  • Get a haircut, trim your beard, shave/wax your legs, trim your nails, etc. before surgery. Remember you are going to be disabled, so get as much done as you can pre-op.

  • Get everything in order with your insurance company/HMO. Make sure you have all the necessary approvals, referrals, etc. The last thing you want to do is have to deal with some pennypinching bean counter after you've just been through major surgery. And get it all in writing so they can't argue with you.

  • Obtain a handicapped parking pass from the Hospital or DMV. This is the best perk of all. "I must be in the front row!"

  • Get a backpack or fanny pack to carry around drinks, pen & paper, cordless phone, etc. You won't be able to carry anything in your hands while your trying navigate around on crutches.

  • Keep a flashlight near by (you'd hate to end up stranded in the dark during a power outage).

  • Set up your PT appointments before surgery. Many times there is a wait for the appointments.

  • Practice moving around your home with crutches and an immoblizer on your leg to see what needs to be re-arranged. Remove anything that you might trip on later.

  • Outfit your shower with a small bench or a plastic lawn chair (a plastic milk crate can work in a small shower) and a removable showerhead to make things easier, and figure a safe way to get in and out of the shower. Also, you won't be able to get stitches wet, so have some plastic bags with rubberbands or tape for sealing.

  • Buy, rent or borrow an "arm-chair" frame for the bathroom commode. A portable raised-seat is another good addition to make things a bit easier.

  • You'll also want a footstool something similar in the bathroom to prop your leg up. It can really help to reduce the pain.

  • If you don't have one, invest in a cordless phone or a cell phone, and always keep it with you; it will be your lifeline whenever you're alone. And if you can't program phone numbers into the cordless phone, have a phone list handy.

  • Arrange for rides to and from doctor, PT, etc. with friends, family, neighbors, church members, etc. If this isn't an option, have cash on hand for cab rides.

  • Ice, ice, baby! If your insurance won't cover an ice machine, buy some freezable gel packs or make your own (3 parts water, 1 part rubbing alcohol and put them in gallon ziplock bags). Or, the old stand by, lots of ice in the freezer.

  • Icing cheap and easy: Get two economy sized bags of frozen peas or corn. Use a permanent marker to make sure you don’t accidentally eat them. They make the best ice bags because they’re packable, they refreeze fast, and they only cost a couple of bucks for two.

  • Quick and simple are the rules for food you have to prepare for yourself. Anything you can nuke and eat out of the container is the best. Prepare meal-sized portions in advance and freeze them in Tupperware containers. Sliced lunch meats are good, too.

  • Get plenty of cash for food delivery.

  • Read Dr. Scott's Knee Book by Dr. W. Norman Scott. Order it online at amazon.com.

  • Surf the Web and find great sites to visit while you're recuperating, either ACL related or not.

  • While surfing the Web, become a regular on Bob's ACL WWWBoard. Get answers to all of your questions, gripe, and trade "war" stories. And once you're an old veteran, the rookies will be turning to you for advice. Find someone on the board who's having surgery around the same time as you and correspond with them and "compare notes."

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