Protect Your Recovery With Preparation - Making Your Home Ready For Hip Replacement

An old saying claims that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, and modern medicine is perhaps the living embodiment of that saying. Advancements in orthopedics have been particularly impressive, and if you find yourself in need of hip replacement surgery, you can feel confident in knowing that you'll receive world class care.

Part of that care, however, is making sure that you do your part to be fully prepared. While the medical preparations are important, it's also important to make sure your lifestyle is properly adjusted. Below, you'll find a guide to some steps you can take to prepare your home for your recovery from a hip replacement.

Reduce Your Movement

The most important part of allowing for a full recovery from hip surgery is to be sure that you can decrease the amount you have to move around. If your home has multiple levels or a spread out floor plan, you can suffer from increased soreness as well as a higher risk of injury from falls.

You should try to make all of your necessities as easily reachable as possible. In some cases, this may even require temporarily relocating your bed to make resting easier. You should also consider the location of your bathrooms to make sure that you can reach them if emergencies arise.

Prepare Your Bathroom

Being able to reach your bathroom is not all you need to do to make sure it's secure. The bathroom is the most common location for slips and falls, and putting yourself at risk can lead to injuries that can increase your recovery time or even render your replacement ineffective.

It may be necessary to temporarily install grab bars around your tub to make sure you have the support you need. An extended seat for your toilet will also make it a lot easier to raise and lower yourself, decreasing the stress on your legs. You should also be aware that your existing bathroom fixtures are unlikely to support your weight, and you shouldn't attempt to use towel racks or similar pieces in that fashion.

Eliminate Tripping Hazards

Walking around normally may decrease your awareness of the trip hazards in your home, but given that your gait is likely to be altered while recovering from hip surgery, you should be especially aware of potential concerns. Loose rugs, visible cords, or even small items like dog toys can become hazardous when your stride is impaired. Be sure to remove as many of these items as possible ahead of time, as doing so after the fact will require a great deal of painful bending and stretching.

For more information about hip replacement, contact Orthopaedic Associates of Muskegon or a similar location.