What tiny habit kept you consistent after a knee or shoulder surgery? In clinic this month I’m recommending a simple 10-minute timer + cold pack routine for the first 72 hours to manage swelling and protect early motion, and I’d love ideas you’ve used to prevent those avoidable setbacks.
After my shoulder scope I taped the PT sheet to the freezer door and made a “no zero days” rule — every time I grabbed the ice, I had to do one set first; it stacked the habit without extra willpower. Small caveat: after day 3, 3 minutes of warm shower before ROM beat more icing for stiffness — @OP, do you cue it to meals or meds?
I used a simple “never skip twice” rule with three anchors: meds = 10 heel slides, meals = quad sets, bedtime = ice/elevate; if pain flared I did one rep and counted it. Keeping the strap and ice wrap in a clear bin by the couch made it automatic. @OP after the first 72 hours, do you prefer a 3–5 minute warm towel before motion or stick with cold-first?