Conditions / Joint replacement
Home health after a knee or hip replacement
The first weeks after a knee or hip replacement are when getting to a clinic is hardest: you may not be able to drive, getting in and out of a car hurts, and just getting dressed takes your energy. Home health brings physical therapy and nursing to you until you are ready for outpatient therapy. Home therapy is real therapy. It is for the weeks when travel takes more out of you than the exercise does.
How home health helps
- A physical therapist works on bending, straightening, strength, and walking, following your surgeon's protocol.
- Therapy is paced to you. The goal is steady progress, not forcing the joint past what your surgeon allows.
- A nurse can check your incision, blood pressure, pain control, and medicines, including blood thinners, so you avoid extra trips.
- An occupational therapist can help you bathe, dress, and use the toilet safely, and recommend equipment.
- We check your home for fall risks such as throw rugs, cords, and the path to the bathroom.
Learn more about our orthopedic rehab.
What to expect
- Your surgeon orders home health before you leave the hospital or surgery center. Ask for Adaptive Home Health by name if you want us.
- Your surgeon's orders set how often therapy comes. Many patients have home therapy for the first few weeks, then move to outpatient therapy once they can travel.
- Pain, swelling, and poor sleep are common in the first weeks. Tell your therapist and nurse how you are doing so they can adjust the plan and talk with your surgeon.
- A nurse and a physical therapist may both visit. The nurse focuses on your incision, medicines, and overall health; the therapist focuses on movement and exercise.
- The first visit is longer than later ones. The nurse or therapist reviews your health and medicines and checks your home for fall and safety risks. It is a safety check, not an inspection of your housekeeping.
- Home health is visits, not all-day care. Between visits, you and your family carry out the plan, and your care team teaches you how.
What you and your family do between visits
- Do the home exercises your therapist gives you between visits. Most of your progress comes from this practice.
- Have equipment ready before surgery if you can: a walker, raised toilet seat, shower chair, reacher, sock aid, and ice packs. Ask your surgeon's office what they provide.
- Clear a path from bed to bathroom and remove throw rugs.
- If you live alone, tell us. We will plan visits and safety steps with that in mind.
When to call
Call your care team if…
- Pain that is getting worse instead of better, or that your medicine does not control
- More redness, swelling, warmth, or drainage at the incision
- A fever over 101°F (38.3°C)
- New pain, swelling, or tenderness in your calf
Use the number your care team gave you, or call us at 214-440-1394 (Texas) or 303-597-0505 (Colorado).
Call 911 if…
- Chest pain
- Sudden shortness of breath
- Coughing up blood
Do not wait to call your care team first.
General information, not medical advice. Follow your care team's instructions.
Questions families ask
Is home physical therapy or outpatient therapy better after a knee replacement?
Both work. Home therapy helps most in the first weeks, when travel is hard and you are still building strength and range of motion. Many patients start at home and move to outpatient therapy when they can drive or ride comfortably. Your surgeon decides what to order.
Does Medicare cover home health after a joint replacement?
Yes, when your surgeon orders it, you need skilled therapy or nursing, and leaving home is a considerable and taxing effort for now. With Original Medicare you pay $0 for covered home health services. Medical equipment such as a walker is usually 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the Part B deductible.
Questions about Medicare, homebound status, and costs are on our FAQ page.
Getting started
Home health starts with an order from your doctor. Ask your doctor or hospital discharge planner for Adaptive Home Health, or call us and we will work with your doctor. We serve Texas (Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, and Central Texas) and Colorado (Denver). See the areas and ZIP codes we serve.
Doctors and discharge planners: refer a patient.
Helpful guides
- What to expect from home health care
- What “homebound” means for Medicare home health
- Leaving the hospital: a home health checklist