The patient/caregiver was educated on fall precautions during immediate post-knee replacement as follows:
- Falls and accidents can happen during the immediate post-surgical phase, as the incapacitating pain could be poorly supporting the weight of the individual. Observe compliance with the general fall precautions and use of assistive devices, as recommended, for fall & accident prevention. Assistive device helps with taking off some weight from the hurting weightbearing joints, which aids in pain relief. During the night, leave your assistive device by your bedside for an easy reach. This can help pick the device up on a restroom trip easily.
- Many analgesic and anti-inflammatory medications used in management of arthritis carry the side-effect of inducing dizziness and confusion in individuals. This can compromise safety and contribute to undue fall. Individuals taking these medications must be aware of this side-effect and seek needed timely assistance from caregivers for fall prevention.
- Drink fluids liberally or as recommended during the daytime and wakeful hours. Limit your fluid intake after dinner and during the night, which can help reduce the trips to the restroom during the night. Using a urinal or bedside commode during the night can be of additional help.
- During the immediate phase of knee replacement, it can be difficult for the individual to bend down and reach the legs and lower portions of the body in the shower. Doing so, can contribute to compromised balance, resulting in a fall. Seek caregiver assistance, as needed, especially for cleaning portions of the body difficult to reach. Use of a long-handled bath sponge can help clean the legs, lower body, and other parts difficult to reach, thus avoiding the stress of bending down and fall risk.
