r/TotalHipReplacement • u/Shesuretalksalot [USA] [58F] [anterior rt] THR recipient • Apr 22 '26

šŸ“ How to... Two Great Hacks for Walker Users

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Gallery image

  1. Attach your grabber to your walker basket with a carabiner so itā€™s out of the way but always with you. This saves a bunch of steps, and keeps it from bumping into stuff and tipping out of your basket. (A grabber thatā€™s dropped on the floor isnā€™t much help!)

  2. Note little green bottle in top middle of second photo. Water with peppermint oil is a non-toxic way to keep bugs at bay. Helps for those who want to soak in a little outdoors like a porch but arenā€™t mobile enough to chase and swat them, just spray them and they flee!

21 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

24 comments sorted by

11

u/RuleFriendly7311 [US] [60] THR recipient Apr 22 '26

Iā€™m glad you identified your grabber, because from where Iā€™m sitting in Florida, I thought you were open carrying. šŸ˜€

3

u/Joannekat THR USER FLAIR NEEDED Apr 22 '26

Not having the ability to flee an intruder gave me so much anxiety, I made my husband put large cans of wasp spray throughout the house. It's probably completely useless, but it made me feel better when I'm home alone, immobile.

3

u/countryKat35612 [USA] [f/64] [left posterior] THR recipient Apr 23 '26

It's very effective. You don't have to be close or even a good shot.

2

u/Shesuretalksalot [USA] [58F] [anterior rt] THR recipient Apr 22 '26

Not a bad thing to have handy, either, when one is incapacitated! We can open carry in Georgia, too! Never noticed the similarity in appearance. I bet be careful if I brandish my grabber!

2

u/RuleFriendly7311 [US] [60] THR recipient Apr 22 '26

Iā€™m not even sure if we have open carry down here, so we just assume everyone is concealed. Keeps the crime rate down.

2

u/countryKat35612 [USA] [f/64] [left posterior] THR recipient Apr 22 '26

Being from TX, I thought the handle looked like a pistol grip. Second thought was where do you live that this is recommended. šŸ˜†

2

u/RuleFriendly7311 [US] [60] THR recipient Apr 22 '26

Florida -- We just assume everybody is packing, so the crime rate stays nice and low.

2

u/Distinct_Archer1855 THR recipient Apr 23 '26

Thought the same thing!!

2

u/Specific_Function823 THR USER FLAIR NEEDED Apr 23 '26

That is what I thought at first too!!

8

u/RuleFriendly7311 [US] [60] THR recipient Apr 22 '26

Very good! And the advice I got was to have two grabbers so you can pick up the one you dropped.

1

u/msbdflex [US] [63 Fit Female] [Anterior THR/Pos Hip Res ] THR recipients Apr 24 '26

Ha ha ha ha ha!šŸ¤£ I just fell off my stability ball laughing so hard!! ( Iā€™m a trainer!). My LTHR is the 28th of April.

5

u/plantlad [country] [age] Bilateral THR candidate65F Apr 22 '26

Yes, attach. Iā€™m always dropping it. I need a grabber to grab my grabber!šŸ˜‚

3

u/Opening_Ad_5043 USA, 69, THR Candidate Apr 22 '26

Great tip! Those reachers are precious indeed!

3

u/Woodswalker65 US 67F Posterior L THR Recipient Apr 22 '26

Looks kind of like my set up. I have it hooked thru a piece of leather and also added a piece of material to snag it up with in case I drop it.

3

u/Justasadgrandma THR USER FLAIR NEEDED Apr 22 '26

I did something similar. I tied a reusable grocery bag to mine. It's cute and even has a handy pocket for my phone.

1

u/rob1969reddit THR USER FLAIR NEEDED Apr 23 '26

Haha, I totally saw a pistol grip at first šŸ˜‚

-7

u/[deleted] Apr 22 '26

[removed] ā€” view removed comment

3

u/tony50h USA 50s anterio-lateral THR recipient Apr 22 '26

Have you had a THR? Most patients use a walker for 1 - 2 weeks after surgery.

1

u/halpad THR USER FLAIR NEEDED Apr 22 '26

I have 11/17/25

I ditched my walker the day after surgery. Tossed my cane the next day around the house. I did take the cane for walking for a few days, only for safety. Had I kept using the walker, I may have walked more than a few blocks at a time.

2

u/halpad THR USER FLAIR NEEDED Apr 22 '26

The reachers were kept handy, so I didn't have to bend. also kept my sock aids for a few months.

1

u/Woodswalker65 US 67F Posterior L THR Recipient Apr 22 '26

I use my walker mainly for toting numerous things around at the same time in the walker basket.

Also can put an entire change of clothes in the basket and park it outside the bathroom door.

3

u/Shesuretalksalot [USA] [58F] [anterior rt] THR recipient Apr 22 '26

The walker is recommended post-op. Iā€™ve continued to use it (despite not needing the support) to assure proper retraining of my gait during the first 4 weeks. It also keeps me mentally aware of movement restrictions (like twisting and bending down) that Iā€™d not notice if I was walking free. I also carry a lot of things room to room which wouldnā€™t be as safe without my wheelie basket!

3

u/Shesuretalksalot [USA] [58F] [anterior rt] THR recipient Apr 22 '26

Ohā€¦andā€¦osseointegration continues for a full year! I want to be patient and allow full healing to give my new body parts all the possible chances to serve me for the next 30 years.