A total hip replacement, or total hip arthroplasty, removes a damaged hip joint and replaces it with an artificial implant. While the surgery is often successful, the quality and speed of recovery depend significantly on preparation before returning home. Proactive steps to modify the living environment and acquire specialized equipment are necessary to ensure safety and prevent potential complications. The early weeks following the procedure require adherence to specific hip precautions, making a properly equipped home fundamental to maintaining mobility and independence.
Essential Mobility and Safety Equipment
After surgery, avoiding movements that could cause joint dislocation, such as bending the hip past 90 degrees or crossing the legs, is critical. Specialized mobility and transfer equipment are necessary for safety. A two-wheeled walker is typically the first assistive device prescribed, providing stability for ambulation while supporting body weight. The walker’s height must be adjusted so the user’s elbows are slightly bent, allowing for optimal posture and weight distribution.
Bathroom safety equipment is particularly important, as this space presents the highest risk for falls due to slippery surfaces. A raised toilet seat or a bedside commode is required to elevate the sitting surface. This prevents the hip from flexing beyond the restricted 90-degree angle when sitting down or standing up, which would otherwise violate post-operative precautions.
A shower chair or transfer bench is required for safe bathing, as standing in a slippery shower is dangerous during recovery. A transfer bench allows the user to sit outside the tub and swing their legs over the edge while remaining seated. Secure grab bars, installed directly into wall studs, provide stable points of contact near the toilet and inside the shower. These items facilitate hygiene while adhering to mandated movements designed to protect the healing joint.
Adapting the Home Layout for Movement
The home layout must be modified to accommodate movement with a walker and create a safe recovery zone. Creating clear pathways is paramount, involving the removal of all potential tripping hazards. These include throw rugs, loose electrical cords, and excess clutter from walking routes. Walkways must be wide enough for a walker, often requiring temporary furniture rearrangement.
Establishing a primary recovery station minimizes unnecessary movement and maximizes rest. This station should center around a firm chair with armrests, which is easier to push up from than a soft sofa. The seat height should be adjusted, perhaps with risers or firm cushions, so the hips remain level with or slightly higher than the knees when seated.
Within this dedicated space, frequently used items must be positioned within easy reach, between waist and mid-torso height. This prevents bending down or reaching up. Keeping items like the telephone, reading materials, medications, and water close at hand reduces the temptation to violate hip precautions. This also ensures energy is conserved for physical therapy and necessary daily activities.
Specialized Aids for Independent Daily Tasks
Daily self-care tasks like dressing and retrieving dropped objects require bending and twisting, movements prohibited after hip replacement. Specialized aids restore independence while protecting the new joint from excessive strain. The most recommended tool is a long-handled reacher or grabber, which allows a person to pick up items from the floor or reach high shelves without bending the hip.
Dressing aids help with lower-body clothing while seated. A sock aid uses a plastic trough that holds the sock open, allowing the user to pull it onto the foot using long straps without bending over. Similarly, a long-handled shoehorn allows the foot to slide into a shoe while maintaining a straight posture.
A dressing stick, a simple rod with a hook, assists with pushing and pulling clothing, such as pants or underwear, up the legs. These tools ensure the patient can dress independently while adhering to movement restrictions. Focusing on slip-on shoes or those with elastic laces further simplifies the process.
Planning for Pain Management and Support
Effective recovery logistics extend beyond physical equipment to include a structured plan for managing post-operative discomfort and coordinating external assistance. Pain management is most effective when medications are taken on a scheduled, routine basis, rather than waiting until pain becomes severe. This schedule should be meticulously set up before surgery, encompassing prescribed opioid pain relievers, anti-inflammatory medications, and often blood thinners.
Access to cold therapy is important for managing post-surgical pain and swelling. Ice packs or specialized continuous cold therapy units should be readily available and applied for 15 to 20 minutes after activity or physical therapy sessions. The combination of icing with gentle elevation of the leg can significantly reduce inflammation and discomfort, aiding in a smoother recovery.
Coordinating caregiver support is a fundamental logistical requirement, as patients will need assistance with tasks for several weeks. This support system must be organized in advance. Clear communication channels with the physical therapist and the medical team should be established. Having a plan ensures that questions about wound care, pain levels, or exercise progression are addressed promptly and safely.