General information to help you prepare for a conversation with your clinician.
“I work in an office” can leave out quite a lot. There’s the walk from the parking lot. The stairs. The commute. The fact that you can put your leg up at home, but there’s nowhere to do that at work.
Those details belong in the conversation about going back after surgery. Give your treating team a picture of the day you’re trying to get through.
Walk through a normal day
Start before you clock in. How do you get there? Are there steps between the car and your desk? Do you carry a bag, tools or equipment? If you take public transport, is there a place to sit?
Then explain the shift. “I’m on my feet” might mean walking between rooms, standing in one spot or carrying materials over uneven ground. Tell the team which it is. Include the parts you’re expected to do when things get busy.
You don’t need a formal job description. A few lines on your phone can make the appointment more useful.
Ask what you can do, and what needs to wait
AAOS explains that returning to work after a joint replacement depends on the activities involved, the procedure, getting to work and the pace of recovery. Your treating team needs to help you work out the plan for your situation.
One question to bring with you“Which parts of my job can I do now, which need to wait, and when should we reassess?”
If modified duties are possible, talk through what those would look like. A shorter shift? A different task? Somewhere to sit? Ask the treating team to put the agreed restrictions in writing so you and your employer have something concrete to discuss.
Leave with a way to check back in
A date on a form can feel very final. Ask who to contact if the duties offered don’t fit your restrictions, or if you’re struggling once you’re back. You can raise that with the treating team without deciding on your own whether you’re ready for more.
If you’ve already returned to work, what part of the day did you wish you’d mentioned at the appointment?
What did we miss?
Suggest a question for a future post. Keep it general; please don’t email scans or personal medical information.
Sources
AAOS: After your joint replacement surgery