All of us here at Hodge BioMotion Orthopedics understand the fact that your care extends outside of the medical office. We believe that the beginning of your care and surgery takes place with knowing that your diagnostic testing and results were done to the highest quality available. In addition, our mission towards greater longevity and motion means making sure you have the appropriate care after surgery. As such, our team here is dedicated to researching and working with the best diagnostic facilities, home health care centers, physical and rehabilitation and extended care centers throughout the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast.

Our clinical team has developed many medical relationships with numerous facilities. Our close working relationships with these companies allows us the confidence in being able to assist you in finding the appropriate facility to aid in your recovery. We can assist in making arrangements for imaging, home health, physical therapy and extended care. Just ask one of our staff for more information and we will be glad to assist you.

Successful joint replacement is a team approach. Relying on a combination of patient commitment, surgical skills, nursing care, physical therapy and patient advocacy, the patient engages with the practice before considering surgery via an orthopedic medical evaluation conducted at our Palm Beach health facility. At that time, patients meet our staff and share their experiences and symptoms in an effort to explore options.

If surgery is an appropriate solution, an internal medicine specialist is involved to provide postoperative medical care.

A preoperative joint replacement class is encouraged and provided weekly at the hospital. The class will provide information regarding post-op expectations for physical therapy, pain management, routine hospital days and discharge planning. For more information please call 561-659-1715.

When surgery is scheduled, arrangements are made to donate your own blood prior to surgery. If you cannot, or do not wish to donate your own blood, blood is available via the blood bank at the hospital. You will have three preoperative visits:

• One with your internist;
• One at the hospital where you will meet the anesthesiologist;
• And a preoperative evaluation with Dr. Hodge and Lewjack Dorrance, physician assistant, to address any questions or concerns and completely review your unique surgical plan.

After your surgery you may chose to stay at an extended care facility which is sometimes a good idea to ease you back into your lifestyle at this physically vulnerable time. You may not be ready to do things for yourself immediately and may need extra support to feel in control of your life.

Extended care has the added value of providing patients with access to healthcare when you need it in a comfortable and service-oriented environment. When you are ready to return home, an in home physical therapist can be assigned to your case who will observe your physical surroundings and make recommendations that will help you move through the healing process successfully while at the same time administer home-based physical therapy. Selecting a physical therapist is an important step that should be discussed with our staff.

After total knee replacement you may find that you feel more stable using a cane for about two weeks so that bearing your full weight is optimally tolerated.

During physical therapy, the "constant passive machine" (CPM) is used until 90-100 degrees of flexion is reached without assistance. The CPM machine works to advance your range of motion starting at a lower setting and advancing your flexion 5-10 degrees every 10 minutes to your maximum tolerance.

For total hip replacement, the aforementioned information generally applies. You will, however, maintain total hip precautions for up to six weeks. The exact anticoagulation is determined on an individual, case by case basis. This will be discussed in your preoperative visit.

As part of your post operative care you should consider an extended stay care facility and also plan for emotional support from friends and family. When mobility is lost, even temporarily, the world can get very small, very quickly. You should prepare mentally by talking through your concerns with people in your support circle. It is also important to anticipate how you may respond to physical pain. Speak with our staff if you have any special needs or concerns in this area. We are here to help you heal before, during and after your surgery.