Following hip replacement surgery, simple tasks like getting dressed can become challenging due to strict movement restrictions necessary for recovery. Putting on socks is particularly difficult. This article provides safe methods for managing lower body dressing, allowing you to maintain independence while protecting your new hip joint. The primary solution involves using specialized adaptive equipment.
Essential Hip Precautions for Dressing
The standard method of bending over to pull on a sock is unsafe immediately following hip surgery because it risks joint dislocation. Specific movements must be avoided to allow the surrounding muscles and tissues to heal properly around the new joint components. The most common restriction requires avoiding bending your hip beyond a 90-degree angle. This means your torso should not lean forward past your knees when sitting.
You must also avoid crossing your operated leg over your other leg, whether at the ankles or the knees. Twisting on the operated leg, or rotating the hip joint inward or outward, is strictly prohibited. These precautions are temporary, but they are necessary to prevent the head of the femur from popping out of the hip socket as the soft tissues stabilize.
Mastering the Sock Aid Device
A sock aid is the most commonly recommended tool for safely putting on socks without breaking hip precautions. This device is essentially a semi-rigid plastic trough or a flexible cloth shell with long straps attached to the top. It acts as an extension of your arm, allowing the sock to be applied while you remain seated upright.
To begin, sit on a stable chair and pull the sock over the sock aid, ensuring the heel pocket is aligned with the bottom of the device. Pull the sock down far enough so that its opening is wide and smooth, but do not stretch the material all the way over the end of the aid. Keep the straps untangled and hold them firmly in both hands.
Next, lower the sock aid to the floor in front of your foot, avoiding any forward lean or bending at the waist. Gently slide your foot into the sock opening, wiggling your toes forward until they are fully inside. While keeping your leg steady, slowly pull the handles of the strap upward and toward you.
As you pull, the sock aid will slide out of the sock, leaving the material on your foot. If the sock is not fully up, you can use the straps or a long-handled reacher to gently adjust the position without bending over. This ensures the sock is applied smoothly without requiring unsafe hip flexion.
Alternative Techniques for Putting On Socks
While the sock aid is the safest primary method, a long-handled reacher or dressing stick can offer alternatives for completing the task. A reacher has a claw or grasping mechanism at the end, while a dressing stick features a hook. These tools can be used to manage the sock material once it is partially on the foot.
After sliding the sock onto your foot as far as you can using only your hands, a reacher can be used to grip the cuff. You can then use the reacher to pull the sock material up toward your knee. The hook end of a dressing stick can also be inserted into the sock opening to gently tug it up over the heel and ankle.
Any technique that involves modified bending, such as crossing the affected leg over the knee, must first be approved by your surgeon or physical therapist, as this is a high-risk movement for some hip replacement approaches. The use of adaptive tools ensures that your hands never need to travel below your knees, keeping your hip joint within its safe range of motion.
Removing Socks Safely
Removing socks also requires the use of long-handled tools to avoid bending and twisting. A reacher or a dressing stick provides the necessary extension to reach your foot while seated. Sit on a stable surface with your feet on the floor before beginning.
To remove the sock, position the hook of the dressing stick or the end nub of the reacher against the back of your heel, hooking the top edge of the sock. With a steady motion, push the sock downward over the heel and off the foot. Use the reacher’s claw to pinch the material and pull it completely away. If the sock falls to the floor, the reacher can be used to pick it up, eliminating the need to bend down.