Equipment and Home Modifications

Several simple equipment and home modifications can help you. If you have hip surgery, therapists usually discuss some of these adjustments with you; they are often helpful for knee surgery patients as well. First, arrange to obtain a walker or crutches before you go into the hospital. Most therapists recommend a folding walker if possible, because they are easier to get into vehicles and set aside in small areas. Another option is a rolling walker. This walker has wheels on the front, with a locking device so it will not roll when you are pressing down. Whether you can use one of these depends on how much weight the physician will allow you to put on the surgical site. Make sure that the walker is the proper height for you. The easiest way to check the height is to stand in the walker with your arms hanging at your sides. Your wrists should be at the grip level, so that when your hands are holding the grips, your elbows will be slightly bent. Your therapist will check the fit of your equipment when you are in the hospital and will teach you the proper sequence of movements when using the walker or crutches.

In addition to adjusting the height of the walker, you may want to alter the grip. Sometimes the pressure put through your hands is uncomfortable. Obtain some pipe insulation from the local hardware store and cut it to a length of six to eight inches. Wrap the insulation around each handle, and secure it with duct tape. Crutch grips are usually well padded and do not need this alteration, although some people like to wrap a wash cloth around the grip, again securing it firmly. You might also acquire a carrying device that you can attach to the front of the walker. These accessories are usually small baskets or tote bags. They can be very helpful when you want to bring a few items from one room to another, since you will not have your hands free to carry them.

Finally, consider a few simple home modifications to augment safety and to assist with transfers. If you have hip surgery, your therapist will talk to you about installing a raised toilet seat. It is also a good idea to raise the seats in other chairs, which you can easily accomplish by adding firm extra seat cushions to the chairs.

Such modifications are helpful even if you have knee surgery. As I mentioned before, my father is tall (6 feet, 4 inches), so when the family was preparing for his return home after knee surgery, I carried out some of these modifications. We found extra cushions especially useful on the sofa and dining room chairs. Chairs with arms are usually easier to get in and out of, since you can lean on the arms. Otherwise, you may want to rearrange some of the furniture so that you have a stable object to hold on to during transfers. Make sure to remove any loose throw rugs, especially if they are on a tile floor and do not have a nonskid backing.