08 Jul When recovery at home doesn’t feel normal: from 05/06/2026
Hello!!
Coming home after surgery is supposed to feel like progress.
But, for many families, it feels more like: Now what?”.
One of my patients recently came home after a knee replacement with severe pain.
Not just soreness, not just stiffness. This was sharp pain down the leg, intense calf discomfort, and difficulty getting comfortable in almost any position.
She was scared, her family was scared, and their first thought was – do we need to go to the ER?
This is one of the hardest parts of coming home from the hospital or rehab. Families are often told what medications to take and when the next appointment is. But they are rarely taught what pain is expected v. what pain is concerning, what changes should be monitored closely, what symptoms need medical follow-up, and how to relieve pain so you can relax.
So, we slowed things down, and talked through her symptoms carefully, looked at positioning, tested a few simple movements. Some pain improved, which pointed toward nerve involvement, some pain did not improve and needed follow up when she was less activated.
This is important, because after surgery, it is possible to have more than one thing happening at the same time. And when people are exhausted, hurting, scared, or overloaded with information, it becomes incredibly difficult to sort through what is “normal recovery” v. what deserves more attention.
Sometimes what people need is someone who can slow things down, ask the right questions, look at the whole picture, and help you decide what to do next.
This is how safer recoveries happen.
Dr. Leslie Erwin, PT, CSRS
Owner | Mobility & Independence Coach
My Rehab Answers, LLC
No Comments