Knee Arthroscopy Instruction Sheet
For a printable version, click here: Knee Scope PDF
Dr. Solberg’s Office Number is 213-455-8448.
This information should be useful after your knee surgery. Please read this information carefully. You will receive further instructions at your next visit.
Expect your knee to be quite stiff for the first few days. Stay off the affected leg as much as possible for the first 48 hours
Keep your leg elevated as much as possible for the first week after surgery
Apply ice to the knee for the first 24 hours after surgery. Wrap the ice in two bags to avoid getting the bandage wet.
You should expect some swelling in the foot on the affected side, this is perfectly normal.
Take your pain medication as directed by your prescription. Do not wait until the pain is intolerable to take the medication. It will take between 30-60 minutes to begin working, so take it accordingly. For more excessive pain, you can combine it with Advil or Motrin, but check with the nurse at our office before you do this.
Take the bandage off after 3 days. The incisions may continue to ooze a small amount. If you have steri-strips, leave the tape strips on the wounds.
You may take a shower after 3 days and get the incision wet, but don't soak your leg or immerse it in water such as a bath or swimming pool
Begin to gently bend and straighten the knee as tolerated after surgery. Your motion should improve a little bit every day. You should be able to fully straighten the knee and bend to about 90 degrees (roughly a right angle) by the time of your first office visit after surgery
I have included below some exercises which you can start doing within the first few days after surgery. This will help to rehabilitate the muscles in the thigh and allow you to regain motion in the knee after surgery. The most important exercises are straight leg raise, hamstring flexion and quadriceps tension
You should start doing these about 3 days after surgery and do them for about 5 minutes at a time, 3 times a day. Click on the link below to review these exercises
Arthroscopy Knee Rehab
Call Dr. Solberg’s Office if you notice any of the following symptoms. You may be connected with an associate if you are calling in the evening hours. Have your discharge orders and description of your procedure available.
Temperature over 101o Fahrenheit
Numbness in the foot
Increasing, severe pain in the knee
Increasing redness around the incisions
You have been prescribed pain medication which has a number of side effects. Most common are drowsiness, nausea and or vomiting, itching, constipation and irritability. If these are prolonged or severe, your pain medication may need to be changed. You must contact our office during business hours to have a new prescription written or a prescription refilled. After hours (after 5:00 pm or weekends), the on call doctor will not give you a refill or a new pain medication prescription.