Wound care:

• Leave your waterproof dressings on and intact for 2 weeks, keeping them as dry and clean as possible.
  If you do need to change your dressing, please replace them with waterproof dressings from the pharmacy (Opsite dressings are a good option)

• Your sutures will generally be dissolvable sutures, meaning they don’t need to be removed.

Pain Relief:

• You are encouraged to take pain relief medication as required to remain comfortable.

• A level of discomfort should be expected, but it should be decreasing as time moves on. Please contact us if you are not noticing an improvement.

• Swelling and pain go hand in hand, so it’s important to minimise swelling by icing and/or elevating (above the heart) the injured area regularly. This will often help to control the pain and reduce the need for strong pain medication.

Gentle exercises:

• To avoid stiffness, it is often important to start doing gentle exercises of the injured area as soon as possible. Ben will advise if this is not recommended for your type of surgery.

• If an exercise is very painful, stop doing it or do it within the limits of motion that is not painful.

Splints and/or braces:

• In many cases, your injured area will be supported by a splint or brace while it heals. It is important to follow the instructions provided to you by Ben and your hand therapist / physiotherapist to ensure the best possible outcome.

Returning to work

• Depending on your job, Ben will provide you with advice regarding your expected timeline to return to work.