What to Expect Before Joint Replacement Surgery

Authorship & Medical Review

Written and reviewed by identifiable TJS medical sources.

Written by

Total Joint Specialists Medical Education Team

Medical reviewer

Charles A. DeCook, MD
Fellowship-trained hip and knee replacement surgeon; co-founder, Total Joint Specialists

Last reviewed

May 12, 2026

This guide is general patient education. The reviewer link connects this content back to a TJS surgeon profile so patients and search systems can verify the medical review signal.

How TJS reviews medical content

Best Practical Answer

Before joint replacement, the most useful preparation is not a single checklist. Patients need a confirmed diagnosis, a clear reason surgery is being considered, medical risk review, medication instructions, home support, transportation, recovery equipment, and a plan for what to do if symptoms or health status change before surgery.

Original TJS Patient Journey Table

Milestones to track and discuss

This table is an original TJS patient education tool. Use it to organize questions for what to expect before joint replacement surgery; your surgeon's instructions should always control.

Journey stage	What to track	What a good plan clarifies
Before surgery	Confirm diagnosis, medications, home setup, support person, transportation	Patient can explain the plan and knows who to call
Surgery day	Arrival time, anesthesia plan, mobility check, discharge criteria	Discharge is based on safety, not the clock
First 2 weeks	Walking quality, swelling, pain control, wound status, therapy instructions	Recovery is trending forward without warning signs
Weeks 3 to 6	Driving/work questions, gait, stairs, range of motion, endurance	Activity increases without major next-day setbacks

Safety decision path:

Is the symptom expected for this stage, or is it worsening?
Does it affect walking, breathing, wound safety, pain control, or the ability to follow instructions?
Use the discharge instructions to decide: continue the plan, call the care team, or seek urgent care.

Appointment Planning

Get matched before the details get confusing.

Scheduling can help confirm the right office, surgeon, visit type, and whether this is a first-time joint replacement question, recovery question, or possible revision concern.

Schedule Consultation Call (770) 292-6500

Medical reviewerCharles A. DeCook, MD

Useful forPreparation, recovery, safety questions, and scheduling fit

Next handoffChoose an office or match a surgeon

Confirm the decision

A strong surgical plan connects the patient's pain pattern, exam, imaging, function loss, medical history, and goals. The preoperative visit should clarify what has been tried, what alternatives remain, what procedure is planned, and what result is realistic.

Prepare the body and home

Patients should ask about medication changes, dental or skin infection concerns, diabetes control, smoking or nicotine use, nutrition, physical conditioning, fall risks, stairs, bathroom setup, walker or cane needs, and who will stay with them during the early recovery period.

Know the day-before instructions

Instructions may include when to stop eating or drinking, what medications to take, showering or skin-prep steps, arrival time, who will drive, and what documents or equipment to bring. The surgeon's instructions should override general online advice.

Questions worth asking

Ask who to call after hours, what symptoms should delay surgery, whether same-day discharge is planned, what pain-control strategy is expected, when therapy starts, and what milestones matter in the first two weeks.

How to Use This Page

Bring it into the conversation.

This guide is meant to make the appointment more useful. Patients can use it to write down questions, compare their current symptoms with the usual decision points, and identify what they do not yet understand. The most useful version of the conversation is specific: what joint hurts, what activities are limited, what has already been tried, what support exists at home, and what outcome would actually feel meaningful.

What TJS Should Confirm

Individual details still decide the plan.

Total Joint Specialists should confirm the diagnosis, procedure fit, medical risk, location, surgery-center plan, discharge instructions, therapy plan, and follow-up schedule for the individual patient. Online guidance can explain the pathway, but it cannot clear someone for surgery, guarantee same-day discharge, diagnose a complication, or replace instructions from the surgeon, anesthesia team, physical therapist, or discharge nurse.

Practical Checklist

Details to clarify before relying on a plan

Write these down before the visit or before discharge, because the safest instructions are the ones the patient and support person can repeat back clearly.

Which hip or knee problem is being treated, and what evidence supports that diagnosis?
Which procedure or nonsurgical option is being considered, and what alternatives remain reasonable?
Which office, surgery center, surgeon, anesthesia plan, and follow-up pathway apply to this patient?
Which symptoms should trigger a call, an urgent visit, or emergency care after surgery?
Which medication, therapy, wound care, driving, work, and activity instructions override general online education?

Procedure Links

Connect this step to the right procedure guide

Total Hip Replacement Anterior Hip Replacement Total Knee Replacement Partial Knee Replacement Same-Day Joint Replacement Revision Hip Replacement Revision Knee Replacement

Useful recovery and planning pages

Anterior hip recovery timeline Knee replacement recovery timeline Same-day joint replacement qualifications Knee replacement red flags Hip replacement red flags

Common Questions

Patient journey FAQ

What should I bring to a joint replacement pre-op visit?

Bring medication lists, allergies, prior surgery history, imaging, notes from other specialists when relevant, insurance information, and practical recovery questions.

Can surgery be delayed if I get sick?

Yes. Fever, infection, open wounds, major medication changes, or new medical issues may require review before surgery proceeds.

Do I need someone at home after surgery?

Most patients need a responsible adult for transportation and early support. Same-day discharge usually depends in part on reliable home support.

Sources

Source support

This page is grounded in orthopedic society and academic medical-center patient education. It should be interpreted through your surgeon's instructions and discharge paperwork.

Medical Review

Reviewed for patient education.

This page was reviewed by Charles A. DeCook, MD on May 12, 2026. It is reviewed at least annually and whenever major clinical guidance, source references, or practice facts change.

The content is educational and is not a substitute for diagnosis, surgical clearance, discharge instructions, or emergency care. See the editorial policy.

Urgent symptoms: Follow your discharge instructions and seek urgent care for severe or life-threatening symptoms.