Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on your insurance plan. Some plans allow you to schedule directly; others (often HMO plans) require a referral from your primary care provider first. Check with your insurance carrier if you're not sure, and confirm with your card at the time of your visit.

A photo ID, your insurance card(s), any required referral, a current medication list, prior medical records or imaging related to your condition (or a disc/copies), and a note on your symptoms, including when they started and what makes them better or worse.

Please arrive 15–20 minutes early to complete registration and any remaining paperwork.

Call our office at (503) 717-7060 and we'll help you find a new time.

Most imaging centers or hospitals can provide a disc or online link to your images. Request this when you schedule or complete your imaging, and bring it along with the written report.

Both should be completed within 1 month of your surgery date.

It depends: Dr. Kim will let you know if cardiac or primary care clearance is needed for your surgery. This is based on your individual health history, so not every patient requires it. Some patients may also need additional clearance from a specialist depending on their history.

No solid food or drink after midnight before your surgery date. Staff from the hospital or surgery center will confirm your exact fasting instructions when they call with your arrival time.

Yes. You must have a ride arranged, and you'll need a caregiver or support person available at home afterward. You cannot drive yourself after anesthesia or while taking narcotic pain medication.

Yes. We strongly recommend stopping at least 4 weeks before surgery. Nicotine slows healing and increases the risk of complications.

Some medications need to be paused before surgery and others should continue as normal. This varies by medication and by patient, so please confirm your specific instructions with our office rather than stopping or continuing anything on your own.

Pain is expected, especially in the first few days to weeks, and should gradually improve, not disappear suddenly. Use pain medication as directed, along with ice and elevation. Taking medication before pain becomes severe tends to work better than trying to catch up afterward.

If you're icing the area, protect your skin with a thin washcloth or bandage between the ice and your skin rather than applying it directly. This helps prevent skin or nerve irritation from prolonged cold contact.

Yes. Swelling and bruising are a normal part of healing and can be significant in the first few weeks, gradually improving over the following months. Elevation, ice, and compression help manage it, especially early on.

Follow the specific dressing instructions you're given at discharge, since this varies by procedure. In general, avoid soaking the incision (baths, pools, hot tubs) until you're cleared to do so.

There's no single timeline that applies to everyone: it depends on your procedure, which leg was involved, and your weight-bearing status.

Timing depends on your procedure. For many surgeries, therapy begins somewhere between 2 and 6 weeks after surgery. The exact timing will be discussed at your postoperative visit and is outlined in your procedure-specific rehabilitation protocol.

Increasing redness, warmth, or swelling around the incision; drainage that's thick, cloudy, or foul-smelling (or that increases rather than decreases); fever over 101°F; or pain that's steadily worsening rather than improving. Call our office if you notice any of these.

Swelling, pain, tenderness, warmth, or redness in the calf or leg, especially if it's one-sided, should prompt a call to our office. Sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, or lightheadedness can be signs of a clot that has traveled to the lungs. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately if this occurs.

Most patients are seen about 2 weeks after surgery, though this can vary by procedure. If you're not sure of your appointment date, call our office at (503) 717-7060 to confirm.

Yes, it's common to feel frustrated or impatient at some point, especially when progress feels slow. Recovery is rarely a straight line. Let us know how you're doing, physically or emotionally, at your appointments. We're here for the whole process, not just the surgery.