An Insider's Guide to Orthopedic Surgery

Nearly two million Americans undergo elective orthopedic surgery each year. And the numbers keep growing—hip replacements are projected to double over the next fifteen years and knee replacements will quadruple.

When you are ready for your procedure, you’ll want a copy of An Insider’s Guide to Orthopedic Surgery at your side. It is the only book that will help you prepare yourself (and your home) for a quicker and more thorough recovery.

As a physical therapist who has spent more than seventeen years helping patients through recovery, author Elizabeth Kaufmann discusses the things that your surgeon won’t cover. You’ll get detailed, practical instruction on:

Preparing your home for the equipment you’ll need upon return

Understanding what will happen at every step of your hospital stay, from arrival through surgery to release (which will likely be sooner than you expect)

Getting the best care from therapists and other hospital and rehab staff members

Dealing with pain throughout the healing process

Building a support network to help provide care during recovery

You’ll also learn the difference between a physical therapist and an occupational therapist; be ready for that first session; and find out the advantages of home therapy, subacute rehab, and outpatient therapy. If you have been suffering from chronic pain in the shoulder, knee, or hip, joint replacement can offer a second chance at restoring the life you desire. An Insider’s Guide to Orthopedic Surgery will help you get ready for it.

Elizabeth Kaufmann is a physical therapist and a former award-winning journalist in the health and fitness field. In addition to treating orthopedic patients for seventeen years, she has watched close family members go through eight knee, hip, and shoulder replacements. She lives with her husband, writer Ernest Tucker, in Colorado. Jared Foran, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in arthritic disorders of the hip and knee. He is currently the director of joint replacements at OrthoColorado and St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood, Colorado.

“This is an excellent introduction to hip and knee replacement suitable for all patients and their friends and family. Free of jargon, packed with sage advice, and remarkably thorough in its coverage of the subject, this book has everything the patient needs to become a well educated, effective member of their own health care team. Ranging from the decision to have surgery and choosing the right surgeon to all of the details of being in the hospital or surgi-center, along with all of the information needed to understand and fulfill the patient’s (and the family's) role in all of the essentials of care after surgery, this volume is factual, realistic, and ultimately reassuring in its approach. Highly recommended!”—Aaron G Rosenberg MD, Professor of Surgery, Rush Medical College

“Elizabeth Kaufmann provides an honest and accurate account of what to expect when planning and undergoing major orthopedic surgery, as well as recommendations on how best to manage recovery. Above all, through providing this essential knowledge, she empowers patients to take charge of their health and optimize their return to activity. This is a wonderful, comprehensive resource for all!”—Nora Sullivan PT, OCS, COMT, FAAOMPT, Outpatient Rehabilitation Services Manage, Swedish Covenant Hospital

“As I was about to embark on the first of five joint replacements, I had the opportunity to read Kaufmann’s book. Wow! Not only did I find it reassuring, but quite informative as well. Her insights as an orthopedic physical therapist reassured me for the upcoming surgeries and also prepared me—well beyond how the suggested joint replacement class I attended did. Taking Kaufmann’s advice to heart, I went into my first two joint replacement surgeries with confidence and advanced through the recovery process with relative ease.”—Lauren Ward Larsen, author of Zuzu’s Petals: A True Story of Second Chances

"Elizabeth Kaufmann has created an extremely valuable resource for patients considering and undergoing orthopedic surgery. Being a surgical patient is a profound experience, and one that is often surrounded by uncertainty and concern. Drawing on her expert clinical expertise and insights, Ms. Kaufmann has written a practical, immensely helpful guide for patients to maximize their understanding of the surgery and enhance their chances for optimal recovery. An Insider’s Guide to Orthopedic Surgery is an important contribution to the field, and patients will greatly benefit."—Michael Leonard, MD,Safe & Reliable Healthcare LLC, Adjunct Professor of Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine