Icing and Elevating

lotusbuds

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I find all these posts so helpful and encouraging. Thanks everyone! When I read the advice about icing and elevating I am still not completely getting it. I realize I need some advice. I understand how important it is and am wondering how to do it. My surgery is in 6 weeks.
Re elevation Is there a pillow one can buy that is good or do most just use pillows they have at home. I have a foam half moon pillow for under my knees when sleeping on my back though after a few hours it is uncomfortable. I have a king size pillow I can put on top of that but not sure if that is easy to keep in place. I can get large safety pins but not sure if that will work. If anyone knows a good pillow let me know or what they use so I can improvise.
Re icing are the gel packs good vs ice cubes in a plastic bag vs large bag of peas from Costco or a combination of all. Thanks for any recommendations and all the other advice on this forum. Great information and so much support. I appreciate all of you.
 
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Hi @lotusbuds
Good questions. You can purchase a pillow for elevating called the Lounge Doctor which you'll find
in the Recovery Aids below. It's not cheap and you can also make due with pillows at home. I have one and still use it on occasion. To me, it was money well spent. I may need my other hip replaced at some point in the future so I have no regrets in purchasing it.
http://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/recovery-aids-a-comprehensive-list-for-hospital-and-home.12499/

In regard to icing what worked best for me was the ice pack the surgery center sent me home with. It was made up of two 10 x 5 pockets sewn together in the middle so I could leave it wide open, or fold it in half. It covered a large area and I loved it. I had several of those frozen blue gel packs on hand in the freezer so I was never without ice if I wanted it, which was almost constantly in the early weeks.

Josephine the forum Nurse recommends icing several times per day for no less than 40-60 mins each session.
Following is an article on icing -
http://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/ice-to-control-pain-and-swelling.5493/

Hope this helps. Stop by often with any questions or concerns. We'll be happy to help.
Enjoy the day! :SUNsmile:
 
I bought a 6 pack of gel packs and rotated them as needed. They wrap around any area and stay cold longer.
gel packs.jpg
 
I bought 2 ea of two different manufacturers. The one I have at bedside now is the “half size” Colpac by Chattanooga. The second one/brand I will post later.

What I really like about the Colpac is that even frozen it is still really pliable to kind of mold to your leg, groin (inner thigh), hip areas when moving around the same.

The other one looks/feels better made, but less pliable and a tiny bit smaller.

All purchased on Amazon.

Edit to add: the other brand I am using is “Thrive.”
 
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The hospital provided me with a Breg Polar pack to ice with, it was used as soon as I was in the bed in the room. It was a parting gift for playing the THR game. It's a cooler with a pump that circulates ice water to a pad that you use like a heating pad but it's cold. You can fill it with ice and water or 4 frozen water bottles and water. I would keep 4 extra bottles in the freezer and rotate them. I could use it 24hrs a day, even slept on it.
As far as elevating all I did was sit in a recliner or lay down. My OS instructions said no pillow under the knee. One thing he wanted was to prop my foot 1/4 of the time I sat with my leg up. I put a rolled towel under my foot while in the recliner, 15min for every hour. This kept the muscles in the back of my legs stretched.
 
Thank you Layla, Jaycey, Wayfarer, Eman85 for your replies. Great information.

I saw the Lounge Doctor when I first started reading this forum and am thinking of getting it as it looks perfect. I want something that won't flop around and will elevate while I am icing. I don't have a recliner chair so will ice in bed and while sitting up in a chair. I also think I'll get the 'half size Colpac. I'd love to get the Polar pack by Breg but am hesitant.

My PT who I am seeing says when his wife has a knee replacement in the future he will get one and was telling me about it. I'll get 6 ice packs and my husband can help me rotate them in the freezer. @Eman85 I am surprised your OS said no pillow under the knee. I thought when lying on your back while sleeping its good to have a pillow under your knee for support. I have trained myself to sleep on my back for up to 3 hours at a time but I am a side sleeper so a bit concerned how it will go. I do have a small pillow for under my knee while lying on my back. I am a bit confused with what your OS did tell you to do but I see it is when you are in a recliner.
Thanks everyone!
 
I am surprised your OS said no pillow under the knee. I thought when lying on your back while sleeping its good to have a pillow under your knee for support.
lotusbuds, there are good ways and bad ways to have a pillow under your knee. If you read this article Elevation: the do's and dont's, you will see examples of these. I suggest you carefully study them!
 
@Josephine Thank you so much! I remember seeing this once but forgot all about it. I did not know some of this. I have been using the half moon pillow which is featured in that article under my knees when I sleep at night on my back. I haven't had surgery yet but was wondering if it is ok. I will stop. I will buy a lounge doctor as that seems to be the easiest for me for icing and elevating. Thanks again!!!
 
I didn't ask why about the pillow under the knee, I just know it was in the book the OS gave me. As far as sleeping goes if you're tired, and you will be, you'll sleep and it will be on your back at least for a couple of weeks.
 
@Eman85 Yes I know I will be sleeping on my back. I am a side sleeper so started training myself a month ago and can now do 3 hours on my back. I likely will have to as you say so hopefully will get used to it. I had read its good to put something under your knees to give your back support but it sounds like not after a hip replacement. So basically all the people who sleep on their backs have nothing under their knees it sounds like. Good to know.
Thanks!
 
@Layla I am going to buy the Lounge Doctor and I am wondering if you got one that is 18" wide or 24"?
Thanks!
 
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Hi @lotusbuds
I'm sorry, I'm just seeing this. Mine is 18" and wide enough in my opinion.
I think you'll like it. I like mine and still use it off and on.
I'll be following your journey.
Have a nice weekend!
 
Hi @Layla
I ended up ordering the 24". If its too big I'll have to return it but hoping it will work for me.
Thanks for following my journey. I can't believe its going to happen soon.
The funny thing is I work in a hospital as a social worker per diem (on call) and tomorrow one of the floors I will be working is the orthopedic floor where I will spend the first night after my surgery. I only occasionally work on that floor so it will be interesting to visual myself healing in one of the rooms. Crazy! I likely won't mention it unless its one of the nurses I know.
My fear is less now that I have been reading so much on this forum.
Thanks for your help.
Have a great weekend too!
 

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