Is this normal, or call now?
Tick what you notice. Each answer comes word for word from AAOS OrthoInfo and the NIH MedlinePlus discharge instructions, shown under it. Nothing is stored or sent. A physical therapist has not yet reviewed how the signs are grouped here. If your surgeon’s written instructions say something different, follow them.
- Sudden shortness of breath
- Sudden chest pain, or chest pain in one spot when you cough
AAOS lists these as the signs that a blood clot has reached the lung. MedlinePlus: “Go to the emergency room or call 911 or the local emergency number, if you have symptoms of a pulmonary embolus.” If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988.
The key: every sign, its answer and its source
Read from the sources on 2026-10-27. Fever uses the MedlinePlus number, higher than 101°F (38.3°C), as everywhere on this site; AAOS gives “persistent fever (higher than 100°F orally)”. Your surgeon’s own instructions come first. “Something that worries you and is not on this list” is not from a source: when you are unsure, call.