Postoperative pain balls will be used on my patients until the morning of postoperative day #2. Therefore, if a patient has surgery on Tuesday, the pain ball will be active that entire day, all of Wednesday/Wednesday night, and will be pulled the morning of postoperative day #2 (Thursday).

On the day of surgery and on postoperative day #1 (most commonly Wednesday), a knee immobilizer may be placed on the patient while they are out of bed. I will allow the physical therapist to individualize the need for the knee immobilizer. Patients who have good upper body strength may not need it while the pain ball is in place. Other patients may be safer with the knee immobilizer on during therapy on postoperative day #1. No knee immobilizer will be used on postoperative day #2, except at the discretion of the physical therapist and after discussion with me.