Joint school

Welcome to joint school. Joint school will help you prepare for your surgery and help your recovery after surgery.

Joint school includes:

  1. joint school videos and information leaflets
  2. occupational therapy questionnaire
  3. joint school appointment: your online or telephone appointment with an occupational therapist.

Watch: welcome to joint school

Choose a coach

Your coach should watch and read this information with you. They can help you understand what’s happening and keep you motivated before and after surgery.

Ask a family member, friend, carer, or someone you trust to be your coach.

A great coach is someone who will:

  • read this information with you and help you answer questions about your care
  • keep you motivated and do the exercises with you
  • support you during your recovery.

Joint school videos

We've produced some information videos for you to watch before your joint surgery.

  1. Total hip replacement

    Find out what happens during a hip replacement, your pre-operative and post-operative care, how to prepare for your surgery, and how you can make your recovery as smooth as possible

  2. Total knee replacement

    Our teammates explain what happens during knee replacement surgery, the risks and benefits, how you can get ready for your surgery, and recovery process after your surgery

Joint school should answer most questions you have, but you’ll get time to ask more questions at your joint school appointment.

Before your joint school appointment, please:

  1. read our information leaflets
  2. watch the joint school videos
  3. fill in the questionnaire about your health and home.

Call us on 020 8453 2240 or email lnwh-tr.NWLeocTherapies@nhs.net if you prefer the instructions on paper.

Information leaflets

  1. Pre-operative assessment, medicine review, and feedback [html] 207KB 
  2. Getting ready for your surgery [html] 206KB 
  3. Anaesthesia and pain management [html] 207KB 
  4. After your surgery [html] 207KB 
  5. Getting ready for discharge and going home [html] 205KB 
  6. Things to look out for after your surgery [html] 205KB 
  7. Keep moving after surgery [html] 616KB 
Total results: 7

Exercise videos

You can follow along with the exercises in joint school.

Please do these exercises as you’re able. You may experience some pain or discomfort, especially if you haven’t moved much recently.

If you’re worried about doing the exercises, you can ask:

  • at your joint school appointment
  • at your hospital appointments
  • your GP.

If you begin to feel dizzy, experience chest pains or shortness of breath, or if your heart starts to beat irregularly, stop exercising immediately and seek medical advice.

Exercises to do before your surgery

Your overall fitness and muscle strength can have a big effect on your recovery time, so it’s important you keep up with your exercises.

Exercises to practice for after your surgery

You can also start practising your after-surgery exercises now.

While you’re on the recovery ward our therapists will be available to help you get your movement back.

Watch: tell us about your furniture at home

We’ll ask you to fill in a questionnaire about the height of the furniture you’ll use after surgery, which includes:

  • a living room chair, recliner, or sofa
  • your toilet
  • your bed.

The information you enter will tell us if your furniture needs to be raised for your comfort and safety, so make sure it’s correct.

To measure your furniture, please follow the steps in the questionnaire we send you.

Remember, it’s your responsibility to fill in the questionnaire with the right information.

Your joint school appointment

Before your joint school appointment, please:

  1. read our information leaflets
  2. watch the joint school videos
  3. fill your occupational health questionnaire.

During your joint school appointment, your occupational therapist will give you advice about to how to:

  • get ready for your surgery
  • prepare your home and your furniture

Useful things to buy

Your occupational therapist will suggest you get various things to make your recovery a little easier.

You may find these items helpful:

  • a non-slip mat for your shower
  • a way to anchor or keep loose rugs in place (if you can’t move them out of the way)
  • a portable, rechargeable power bank for your mobile phone
  • a long-handled reacher, grabber, or ‘helping hand’ to help you pick up stuff from the floor
  • a long-handled shower brush or loofah.

Using technology

Some smart watches and mobile phones include fall detection. If your phone or watch has the feature, set it up now so you’re ready.

Search fall detection and your smart watch or phone model to see if the feature is included.

You may also be eligible for an auto alarm or emergency button from the council. Search your council’s website for auto alarm for more information.