Knee replacement surgery is often life-changing, restoring a degree of mobility you likely haven't experienced in a long time while also eliminating a major source of pain. You will experience newfound freedom once you recover from your surgery. While today's knee replacement surgeries tend to be less invasive and require less recovery time than former versions of this surgery, there are still a few things to keep in mind. Here are three tips for your upcoming knee replacement surgery:

Arrange for Orthopedic Rehabilitation Services

In most cases, you will begin with orthopedic rehab right after your surgery, before you even leave the hospital. The physical therapist will help you stretch and strengthen your muscles so that you can regain mobility quickly. They may focus on just being able to stand at first, and then help you with walking, navigating stairs, and more. If your surgeon thinks you will need to continue with orthopedic rehab after you return home, be sure to get a referral and make your first appointment before your surgery.

Plan for Rides

When you leave the hospital after your surgery, you may still be a bit woozy from anesthesia and pain medication, and you will likely have limited range of motion for the first week or so after surgery. For these reasons, it's important to arrange for rides from friends or family members from the hospital, as well as to your orthopedic rehabilitation services center.

If you need to return to work before you are fully recovered, you may want to ask if you can work remotely for a while. Some insurance carriers also cover free shuttle rides from your home to physical therapy, checkups with your surgeon, and other medically necessary appointments and errands.

Set up Your House for Recovery

It's smart to set up your home for maximum health and comfort before you even have your surgery. That way, when you return home you can simply focus on resting and recovering. It's important to get plenty of sleep as this is when a lot of healing happens. Set up your bedroom to be quiet, dark, and comfortable. You will be spending a lot of time at home in the days after your surgery, so stock up on books you've been wanting to read, queue up some movies on your app of choice, and stock and prep plenty of nutritious, filling food.

By following these tips and working closely with an orthopedic rehab specialist, your recovery from your upcoming knee replacement surgery should be completely smooth-sailing.