Post-op daily recovery checklist
A simple daily prompt for the weeks after surgery — the small, easy-to-forget things that help recovery go smoothly. Tick items off as you go today; the list resets fresh tomorrow. This is general guidance only, not a substitute for your surgical team's instructions.
🩱 Wound & dressing
💊 Medication
🩹 Mobility & activity
💧 Hydration & nutrition
😴 Rest & monitoring
⚠ Red flags today: contact your team promptly if any apply
- Fever of 38°C / 100.4°F or above
- Increasing redness, swelling, warmth, or discharge from your wound
- New or worsening calf pain or swelling in one leg
- Chest pain or shortness of breath
- Confusion, drowsiness, or feeling much worse than yesterday
For breathlessness, chest pain, or any emergency symptom, call 000 (AU) · 999 (UK) · 911 (US) · 112 (EU), or attend your nearest emergency department.
Why a daily checklist helps recovery
The weeks after surgery involve many small, easy-to-forget tasks: taking medication on time, checking a wound, staying hydrated, doing prescribed exercises. A simple daily checklist helps you stay consistent with these tasks without having to remember everything from memory, especially while you may be tired, in pain, or on medication that affects concentration.
About this tool
This checklist is compiled from general post-operative care guidance published by NHS, NICE, AAOS and healthdirect. It is a general prompt for common recovery tasks after most types of surgery — it does not replace your surgical team's specific instructions for your procedure, which always take priority. Your progress is stored only on your own device and resets automatically each day.
Sources: NHS, post-operative care · NICE guidance on surgical recovery · AAOS patient resources · healthdirect