Preparing for surgery can sometimes feel daunting. First there are the appointments from discussing your surgical plan with your consultant, then there are the pre-operative assessments to ensure you’re fit for surgery, and finally all the things you have to prepare at home so you can manage after you’ve been discharged. Getting yourself as healthy as possible before surgery is also essential – doing regular exercise and strengthening your muscles to eating better, drinking less and stopping smoking. It’s a long list.
Not preparing properly can impact how well patients recover from surgery. By using an app as a virtual guide throughout the entire journey, patients at the ROH are benefitting from optimised recoveries.
The virtual guide used by the ROH provides patients with the critical information they need to prepare for surgery, as well as giving clear exercise guidance both before the joint replacement and afterwards. The app also provides analytics. Surgeons can see how patients are engaging with the app and completing their exercises, and can intervene when necessary.
Chris and Kim both had knee replacement surgeries at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital to manage their arthritis. They were both given the app at their first appointment and used it regularly throughout their patient journey.
The app helps patients through their joint replacement by providing important information as they prepare for surgery, and as they navigate recovery. Chris had a partial knee replacement. He explains: “I thought it was superb really. I've got other friends who have had similar operations, and they had no pre-op exercises to do or anything like it. I thought the exercises for the pre-op to get your strength up was superb, and I did all of them, and all the info on what to expect and when to expect it. It really helped prepare me and get me in the right frame of mind for surgery.”
“After the surgery I was seen by some physiotherapists, and I made a point to listen to them. There's only one person that's going to benefit, and that's me. So I did what they asked.”
Kim was also given the app at her first consultant appointment for arthritis in the knee. She was recommended for a Total Knee Replacement. She adds: “I knew exactly what was going on, what I should be doing to prepare for the surgery, what you should be expecting and all the exercises to do. Post-op you're doing all your exercises, you get told what your walking speed is, when it's safe to do things. It’s as if someone is there giving you the confidence, helping with managing your expectations.”
Reflecting on how the surgery helped with his pain and his use of the app, Chris talks about the little things making a big impact. “One thing that surprised me after the surgery – my granddaughter got me to put stabilisers on her bike for her, and asked if I could walk along with her. I’m helping her as she cycles, then after a bit I realised I was actually running with her. I'd never have attempted running before - not because I couldn't, but it would have been more painful. I'm nearly 71 and I just thought to myself, yeah that's really great.”
For patients who want to get back to the gym after surgery, the app can give that extra bit of confidence to know you’re doing so safely. Kim was back in the gym in four weeks: “I went back to aquafit shortly after surgery and I’ve even been able to join in on Park Runs (I’m walking them so they’re more a Park Walk) 14 weeks after surgery. More recently I’ve been able to drop the seat on the exercise bike as my knees are bending really well.”
Getting a knee replacement can mean a new lease of life, but it’s essential preparation advice is taken seriously. The use of an app provides a guided patient experience throughout the entire journey, allowing patients to take an active role in optimising their recovery after a knee replacement.
To find out more and meet the team of Birmingham knee surgeons, visit https://roh.nhs.uk/services-information/knees
