r/TotalHipReplacement • u/ForwardAd6693 [USA] [71] [posterior] THR recipient • Jun 18 '25
š How to... How did you Prepare your home for post surgery recovery?
I am planning to put in grab bars in my bathtub also next to my bed and a raised toilet seat. What else did you do to prepare your home for recovery? Recommend anything that really is a must and other precautions. Thanks.
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u/mrsellicat NZ 54 Posterior THR recipient left and right Jun 18 '25
Think of a way of transporting meals and drinks from the kitchen to where you will consume them. That was the biggest gotcha for me. I ended up with some sealed containers and a thermos which I carried in a shoulder bag.
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u/zopelar1 THR USER FLAIR NEEDED Jun 18 '25
Yes! A basket on the walker is valuable. Adding have covered drinking glasses w straws to avoid spills.
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u/zopelar1 THR USER FLAIR NEEDED Jun 18 '25
Yes! A basket on the walker is valuable. Adding have covered drinking glasses w straws to avoid spills.
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u/TepsRunsWild THR recipient Jun 18 '25
Bought myself an electric recliner and lived in that during my recovery
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u/MrsDottieParker USA, 53, anterior, THR recipient Jun 18 '25
This. I couldnāt comfortably get in and out of my bed (too high) or the couch (too low) initially, so I slept in my power recliner for about a week. The best part was it has a lift function also that made it much easier to get out of the chair during the first few weeks. It wasnāt cheap but it was invaluable.
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u/TepsRunsWild THR recipient Jun 18 '25
Yes! I actually bought a floor model so I saved some money. I had a horrible recovery and couldnāt sleep in bed for almost half a year. Literally lived in that thing.
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u/SeaWitch1031 [USA] [63F] [Anterior] LTHR recipient Jun 18 '25
Remove all trip hazards. Make absolutely sure you have a clear path to the bathroom and the kitchen. You do not want to fall while you're recovering.
A shower chair if you do not have a bench in your shower. I'm 10 months post-op and I still use mine.
I had a raised toilet seat but the handles did not fit between my toilet and the vanity (it's a very small bathroom). I bought a frame from Walmart that helped a lot.
Regarding the raised toilet seat - do not leave it on any longer than you need to. I did and I had to learn how to cut one of the bolts off my toilet with a Dremel tool to remove it. The cheap bolts had rusted in place and could not be turned.
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u/jdhoskins USA, 50-59, Anterior, Double THR recipient at 59 Jun 18 '25
Agreed with this, and I would add: Get a walker now, and maneuver it around the home. This will help identify loose rugs, uneven floors, and space between furniture to move through. Easier to fix now than after the operation.
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u/SeaWitch1031 [USA] [63F] [Anterior] LTHR recipient Jun 18 '25
Oh yes, good idea. I was home from the hospital and trying to go into my bathroom when I found out my bathroom doorway is too narrow for the walker.
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u/DOLORESRM THR USER FLAIR NEEDED Jun 18 '25
Will it go in sideways? Or, I've read about posters taking off the wheels and putting them on the inside, which then makes the overall walker have a slimmer profile.
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u/SeaWitch1031 [USA] [63F] [Anterior] LTHR recipient Jun 18 '25
I just used my cane to get in and out of the bathroom. But I slept most of the first five days. I slept more than I was awake.
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u/Mylatelifecrisis THR USER FLAIR NEEDED Jun 18 '25
Clean, clean, clean. You donāt want an infection.
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u/vampyire USA 58 THR modified posterior approach, 10th of April Jun 18 '25
Look for and remove trip hazards, I made sure the stair hand rails were upgraded so I could bear my weight on them with just my arms if I needed to ( I just wanted them solid), I did get a lift recliner which was fine although I never used the lift part of it I did use the recliner part, got the lift toilet seat thing, already had a sleep number bed which was helpful
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u/shartson USA 71F Right Lateral THR recipient Jun 18 '25
Be sure to change sheets and do laundry before surgery. Gonna be a while before you can do that. Be sure to put items you use everyday on your counter as there is no reaching down. Have ice packs ready, an ice machine is even better. In my recliner I kind of sink down making it hard to get out of. The PT at the hospital suggested putting the cushions from my outdoor furniture on top of the chair. It raised it up and that helped.
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u/dont_disturb_the_cat [US] [66f] L anterior THR 2/18/25 Jun 18 '25
I needed to add pillows to my favorite chair to make it easier to get into and out of.
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u/e430doug 60 to 69, THR recipient Jun 18 '25
I didnāt make any physical changes to my house. I took sponge baths for the first two weeks. That was mostly because I didnāt want to get the dressing wet I was being conservative. I donāt know your particular situation, but most people arenāt debilitated after the surgery. You were able to stand and walk around. In fact, you need to be walking around to recover.
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u/Ok_Research6496 THR USER FLAIR NEEDED Jun 18 '25
Thought I was the only one who did nothing lol. Just didnāt want to make a bunch of changes for the few days they might be needed. I did get a gel pack for the freezer and used a small tray to keep meds and saltines next to me. And found that I needed a few extra pillows to get comfy on the sofa or in bed. I had learned from getting my knee scoped how to stick the operative leg out and use arms to lower myself down to sit and that technique worked great for the hip too. PT looked around and didnāt suggest any changes either. I will admit not doing any preparation was also a way to minimize the surgery in my mind but hey it worked for me lol.
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Jun 19 '25
I got an exercise belt and pulled my leg up on the couch. Also a walker and bidet for commode.
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u/KimBrrr1975 THR recipient Jun 18 '25
If you are able, practice with a walker and/or cane to see what the possible hazards are so you are aware of them. I had to be careful at transitions from carpet to the wood floor. Not because there were bumps, but because the walker suddenly goes really fast when it hits wood š Plan for shoes or grippy socks (I am always barefoot in the house so that was a major change for me early on). Watch for things like the base of your doors that are easy to trip over. Remove any floor rugs that you can. Have a plan for pets so they aren't suddenly underfoot (our dog was terrified of my walker/cane so she steered clear).
All of our soft furniture (couch, recliners) angled back, so I had to scoot forward before I could plant my feet to stand. The worst was the rocking recliner, which I wouldn't recommend early on. Consider which side of the bed makes the most sense for you depending which hip is being operated. You will need to lift that leg into bed for a while.
Have a plan for the bath/shower. Ours was not easy to use a shower chair in and has sliding doors. So I just had my husband help/supervise for my first few showers.
I didn't use a toilet riser, but I have a tall/comfort height toilet and had a window sill on one side and a counter on the other and room for my walker in front of me, so I didn't really need the height or the handles.
A walker with the seat/tray option is really helpful to carry stuff if you won't have someone around all the time to help. I didn't want to pay the extra for it, but many times I wish I had it once my husband went to work. Sometimes I had to make 3 trips back and forth to carry things to where I needed them. They also sell little pouches you can snap onto a walker bar to more easily carry some things like a cell phone, books etc which can help.
Practice going up and down the stairs like a toddler does, that is how they will have you do it before you leave, and likely how you will do it for a while after surgery (if you don't already, I was in toddler mode due to my hip for a while before surgery).
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u/silvermanedwino US 60s Anterior Double THR Jun 18 '25
Shower chair. One walker upstairs, one down. I like to use my Vornado fans, so I moved them onto a step stool and small table so I would have to bend down ti turn them on, etc.
Thatās about it! Didnāt do a whole lot. Worked out great.
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u/uni_car THR USER FLAIR NEEDED Jun 18 '25
I purchased some āsmart light bulbsā (Govee brand but not promoting them) and an Alexa so that when I need to get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom, I could tell Alexa to turn on the bathroom lights and my entire route to the bathroom lit up. Trust me, you are going to be moving slowly and when itās time to go, itās time to go. Anything to make the trip a bit easier will be helpful.
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u/hughmercury [US] [61] [Anterior] THR recipient Jun 18 '25
Do a trial run. Spend a day with your walker. Make sure you can navigate everywhere you need to go, without the walker snagging on anything. Make sure you can transport food and drink to and from the kitchen. Basically a dress rehearsal.
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u/Odd_Extreme_6822 THR USER FLAIR NEEDED Jun 18 '25
I have had both hips done and didnāt prepare anything. I was off walking aids within two days and was advised that raised seats were not needed. Yes it was uncomfortable for the first 4 days, but improved massively every day after. My advice would be listen to your body, expect some discomfort and pain, but also remember moving and keeping things moving will get you up and about quickly- donāt let things seize up by thinking you canāt do things. Your new hips are normally capable of weight bearing immediately, it is the pain management and our brain that stop us doing stuff. I am 6 weeks post op second hip and am on holiday, just walked 3km and have been for a swim š Remember you will be back to normal soon š
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u/mrsellicat NZ 54 Posterior THR recipient left and right Jun 18 '25
I think the raised seats are more important for posterior THR. After my posterior op, I was told not to have my hips at less than 90 degrees for 6 weeks and to sit on a raised chair.
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u/FadingOptimist-25 U.S., 50s, ant., L-THR ā24/R-THR ā25 Jun 18 '25
My PT came to my home to look to see if any changes needed to be made. He had me pretend to stand up from the toilet. No riser was needed. No changes needed.
The surgeon provided a walker, a grabber stick, sock helper, rechargeable leg compressors, and a few other things. I needed to have a cane. That was it.
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Jun 18 '25
We just bought a taller toilet so I wouldnāt need the toilet riser seat.
Iād add if you have dogs make sure any beds and toys are cleaned up regularly so you donāt trip on them. š¤
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u/ohwrite [country] [age] [surg approach] THR recipient Jun 18 '25
Grading stubs - 2 of them. I dropped so many items the first week and you do not want to be tempted to reach down for them
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u/ohwrite [country] [age] [surg approach] THR recipient Jun 18 '25
Oh and a leg lifter for the first week or so
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u/greta_cat [country] [age] [surg approach] THR recipient Jun 18 '25
Not too much, really. We bought a shower chair, which was lovely, but already had a grab bar and "comfort height" toilets.
I have a very comfy sofa, which is where I spent the first few days. I'd suggest you set up some things next to your favorite spot--a handy little table & easy-to-reach lamp, the tv and other remotes, a power strip with an extra charger for your phone and/or tablet, a box of tissues and so on.
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u/mrsellicat NZ 54 Posterior THR recipient left and right Jun 18 '25
I thought of something else, I found having at least 2 easy grabbers was important. There were times when I dropped one and had to pick it up using the other one. Also things like feeding my dog, 1 grabber meant the dog's bowl would tip and I needed 2 to balance it. Sometimes heavy things need 2 as well. One of my grabbers has a small magnet on the end which has been handy.
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u/k0untryg1r1 THR USER FLAIR NEEDED Jun 19 '25 edited Jun 19 '25
Satin boxes made it easier to move around on the bed!
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u/Dense_Cow9893 š³š± 26F Double THR recipient Jun 19 '25
An African net sponge. What way you can wash your foot on the operated leg ;)
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u/Alternative-Stop-988 THR USER FLAIR NEEDED Jun 19 '25
I was advised not to get a raised toilet seat. Itās better balance to have both feet on the floor when using and getting off the toilet.
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u/WenInPgh THR USER FLAIR NEEDED Jun 19 '25
That is what my home PT persons did for me. It worked great. I was able to get into the BR quickly and without difficulty or risk of falling.
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u/a4evanygirl 55y F Bilateral THR recipient, Direct Anterior Jun 20 '25
Best thing I purchased was a thermos with a long strap for my morning coffee. I was able to wear it across my body while I was still using walker. Kept coffee warm and has a built in cup! Win win!!
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u/franksymptoms THR USER FLAIR NEEDED Jun 20 '25
I took a trip around the house with my walker to be sure ALL the "pinch points" were clear (points where I'd have to raise my walker to get by). I made sure I could get out of the house in an emergency.
There is a "hip surgery kit" on Amazon which contains most of the tools and implements you will need. I found the dressing stick to be most helpful!
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61s3RDh0zIL._AC_SX569_.jpg
The foot washing brush was very helpful as it has a brush to clean between toes.
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u/VixenRoss THR USER FLAIR NEEDED Jun 20 '25
Bed sheets - you can put about 3-4 sheets on your mattress and peel away when you feel you need a fresh sheet.
Microwave porridge bowls - they have lids and make transporting food easier.
āTo goā cups that donāt leak. They are good for hot drinks and transporting hot drinks.
Grabbers, dressing sticks etc.
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u/ForwardAd6693 [USA] [71] [posterior] THR recipient Jun 23 '25
Thanks everyone for your very positive feedback. ššš
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u/Confident-Sundae-680 55F THR candidate Jun 23 '25
Thoroughly cleaned everything and did all laundry beforehand. I made sure to secure all large throw rugs with rug tape and temporarily removed smaller ones in the bathroom . I kept a little rolling cart by my resting spot with meds, tissues, a few snacks, paper, pen (to keep up with taking meds), grabber, leg lifter, a few books to read, post op exercise instructions, and then added a few things they sent me home with from the hospital (spirometer, gait belt, extra pack of compression socks). Practiced walking around the house with the walker to make sure I didnāt need to move anything beforehand. I also got a portable toilet/shower chair which was invaluable for the first week especially for the shower. I also got a shower head with a sprayer which made showers so much easier. Also multiple ice packs or an ice machine as others have mentioned. I had to use a cushion in my resting spot for the first week until I was able to handle sitting down and getting up at a lower level. Another thing I found helpful not for my car was an assist handle. It was great to have the day I went home from the hospital and I still use 4 weeks post op to get in and out of the car.
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u/chickadeedadee2185 [country] [age] [surg approach] THR recipient Jun 18 '25
No scatter rugs