Recovery guide
Answer a few questions about where you are in your recovery and get personalised guidance based on published clinical guidelines from NHS, NICE, AAOS, and healthdirect.
What this guide covers
Post-surgical recovery involves a series of predictable stages. Most people move through four broad phases regardless of their specific surgery: the first 24–48 hours at home, the first week of restricted activity, gradual return to function over weeks 2–6, and a longer rehabilitation phase that may continue for months. Source: NHS: recovering from surgery
This guide helps you navigate your specific situation, whether you are managing pain, worrying about a wound, unsure about activity levels, or preparing to bring questions to your next appointment. It adapts to where you are in recovery rather than offering generic one-size-fits-all guidance.
Based on guidance from NHS · NICE · healthdirect · AAOS · PMID 33215245 (World J Surg 2021)
The first week at home
The first week is typically the most demanding. Pain peaks at 48–72 hours, swelling is at its most pronounced, and fatigue from anaesthetic and the surgical stress response can be significant. Research shows post-operative fatigue affects over 80% of patients in week one, regardless of surgery type. Source: PMID 33215245 (World J Surg 2021)
Key priorities in week one: take pain relief on a schedule (not just when pain becomes severe), keep your wound dry, get up and walk gently each day to prevent DVT, and eat regular small meals even if your appetite is poor. Source: NHS
When to contact your surgical team
Contact your team promptly if you have: temperature 38°C or above, pain that is increasing after day 3, redness or discharge spreading beyond wound edges, or swelling in one calf. Do not wait to see if symptoms improve. Call 000/999 immediately for sudden chest pain, shortness of breath, or heavy uncontrolled bleeding. Source: NHS: wound infection · NICE NG89 DVT
About the Personalised Recovery Guide
This recovery guide uses your surgery type and date to calculate where you are in your recovery, and presents information relevant to that specific stage, compiled from published clinical guidelines from NHS, NICE, AAOS, healthdirect.gov.au, and other national health authorities. Unlike generic recovery advice, the guide tailors the information to your procedure and your current recovery day, giving you what is most relevant right now.
How recovery stages work
Every surgery follows a broadly predictable timeline divided into phases. The immediate post-discharge phase (days 1–7) focuses on wound care, pain management, and safe early mobility. The early recovery phase (weeks 1–4) brings progressive improvement in pain levels, gradual return to light activities, and suture or staple removal. The rehabilitation phase (weeks 4–12) involves returning to normal activities, physiotherapy if applicable, and managing residual symptoms. Long-term recovery (months 3–12+) involves final healing, scar maturation, and (for orthopaedic surgery) strength and function restoration.
What the guide covers for each surgery
Each surgery recovery guide includes: day-by-day and week-by-week expectations calibrated to your recovery day, wound care guidance relevant to your surgical approach, pain management information including medication timing and what level of pain is normal, return-to-activity milestones for driving, work, exercise, and sex specific to your procedure, red flag symptoms that should prompt urgent medical review, and cross-links to relevant tools (wound check, pain tracker, DVT risk checker) where applicable.
Using the guide alongside your surgical team
This guide is a supplement to (not a replacement for) advice from your surgeon, GP, practice nurse, or physiotherapist. Your surgical team's specific instructions always take priority. The guide is particularly useful for the periods between appointments, when you are at home and wondering whether what you are experiencing is normal. If something concerns you that is not covered in the guide, contact your surgical team. For emergencies, call 000 in Australia, 999 in the UK, or your local emergency number.
Data privacy
Your surgery date, procedure type, and any other information you enter into the guide is processed entirely within your browser. Nothing is transmitted to our servers or stored online. The guide uses your device's local storage only to remember your setup between visits, this data never leaves your device.
Sources: NHS, NICE, AAOS, healthdirect.gov.au, Cancer Council Australia: compiled and maintained by Postopcare.info (Digital Treasure Pty Ltd, ACN 696 816 636)