About this item
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.
About the Author
Elizabeth Kaufmann is a writer and physical therapist who grew up in Munich, Germany, and Connecticut. A Yale graduate, she worked as a staff editor at Outside and Audubon magazines. She covered the 1987 Snowbird Everest Expedition for the Chicago Tribune, penning stories in her tent at the 18,000-foot base camp. Her health and fitness articles also appeared in the New York Times, Shape, Self, and others. She earned a master's degree in physical therapy from Northwestern Medical School in 1998 and subsequently worked in the AIDS ward at Cook County Hospital in Chicago before turning her attention to orthopedics and trauma. She has worked in home health and hospice, an outpatient clinic, and three other hospitals in Denver. She lives with her family in Colorado.
