Joint replacement - anyone got any experience?

Nobbler

So after years of mistreatment through work mostly, I've worn the joint out in my left thumb (where it connects to the wrist basically) and after a few failed steroid injections, it's been decided that the joint now needs replacing with a metal one.
I've been told that I'll probably need to take 6 weeks off work to avoid the risk of dislocation etc but there's no way I can take that time off. I'm lucky in that I'll get paid for it IF I did take it but we are very short in the man power department and basically stretched to the limit without me taking 6 weeks off. So, anybody had any experience in this? What's the bare minimum time I would NEED to take off work to avoid any mis-haps?

KyleS1

Assuming it was your doc that told you 6 weeks, I'd guess 6 weeks is the minimum...
No point potentially messing up the op by disregarding the advice.

shodan

Maybe there is another way you could return to work earlier that doesn't involve being part of the man power, but still benefits the organisation? Admin? Management? Something like that maybe? But if you mess up the recovery, you'll end up taking a lot more than 6 weeks off...