Is Summer a Good Time for Joint Replacement Surgery?

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  • UChicago Medicine AdventHealth
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Health and Wellness
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If your specialist has advised getting a joint replacement, is summer a good time to have surgery? Scheduling is truly a matter of preference, and here are three questions to help you decide.

Do you plan to go to the pool, river or lake?

For a period of time after surgery, you’ll need to avoid submerging any incisions in water. Water exposure can lead to infection, and prolonged soaking could slow healing. If your favorite summer activities involve pools, rivers or lakes, and you and your surgeon agree it’s OK to delay surgery, it might be better to wait until fall.

Do you have travel plans?

Summer is a popular time for travel, and nobody wants to miss trips with family and friends. How soon you can travel after surgery depends on several factors, including how fast you heal, your mode of transportation and the activities you plan to do. For example, until you fully heal, it will likely be easier to get in and out of a car than to board and exit a plane.

Resuming short trips with low-intensity activities may be possible within a few weeks. Long-distance travel or air travel may have to wait four to six weeks. The specialists at the Center for Advanced Joint Replacement (CAJR) will help you decide on the best time for surgery so you can enjoy your vacation.

What season is best for your favorite activities?

People whose favorite outdoor activities are things like hiking, biking, pickleball and gardening might put off surgery to avoid missing out on their favorite spring and summer activities. If your symptoms allow, delaying surgery may be the right choice.

If the activities you most look forward to are ones like skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing, scheduling surgery in summer gives you several months to recover before the winter season.

CAJR specialists have helped thousands of patients time their hip and knee surgeries so they can participate in the events and activities that are important to them. We look forward to helping you find relief and come back stronger to enjoy the things that matter most.

To schedule an appointment with a CAJR specialist, call 855-206-2538.

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