If you are over the age of 12, you will go to the adolescent ward. You must have nothing at all to eat or drink after midnight on the night before the surgery. You will also learn how to recognize and treat early signs of infection. You will need to do the pinsite care which takes about 30 minutes every day until the apparatus is removed. It is very important in preventing infection from developing.
Infections can cause serious complications and set back the recovery process.
Physiotherapy begins very soon after surgery. The therapist will teach you exercises to help increase your strength and keep good movement in your joint. You will have a set of exercises to do each day at home. The exercises must become part of your daily routine. Most people begin standing two days after surgery with help from the physiotherapist.