Ask-a-Doc:
How Soon Can I Return to Work After Surgery?

Hello, I’m Dr. David Crawford. 

Many patients ask me how long it will take before they can return to work after their surgery. That depends a lot on what kind of work you do. 

If you have a lower extremity surgery—like a hip surgery or a knee surgery—and you have a desk-type job, in general, 3 to 4 weeks is probably the shorter time of things. Again, you have to be off the pain medications. 

Obviously, since COVID, a lot of folks are able to work from home. And, so, we have seen patients get back in a week or two and do some part-time work. 

But if you’re standing on your feet all the time and you’re in a factory-type job, we really will try to protect your time off work for maybe upwards of three months, if needed. But, certainly, as soon as you are physically able to go back, you can go back sooner.

If you would like to know more about the time it will take you to fully recover after surgery, be sure to contact us at JIS Orthopedics. Our specialists in New Albany and St. Clairsville, Ohio look forward to providing you with quality care. Schedule a visit with us today!