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What to rent after hip surgery

Equipment for the first weeks at home after hip surgery: a bed at a safe height, a walker or commode chair, and a wheelchair for longer trips. The surgeon or physiotherapist says what suits the person.

Important
For sudden breathlessness or chest pain, call 108 at once. For new pain or swelling in the calf, a fever, or a wound that is red, swollen or leaking, call the surgeon's team the same day.
About this guide
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Follow your doctor's instructions for the person you care for. Our guides are reviewed by a clinician before they are published; this one is a draft, with that clinical review pending.

The first weeks at home

After hip surgery, the surgeon or physiotherapist tells you how much the person may move, how much weight the leg can take, and which positions to avoid. Arrange the home around their advice.

Equipment that families often use in these weeks: a bed at a safe height, a walker or commode chair, and a wheelchair for longer trips. Each is used as the surgeon, physiotherapist or nurse advises.

Questions to ask before you leave the hospital

  • How much weight can the operated leg take, and for how long?
  • What is a safe height for the bed and for chairs? Should the person avoid low seats?
  • How should they use the toilet and bathe in the first weeks? Do you advise a commode chair?
  • Do they need a walker, and when may they walk without one?
  • When is the follow-up visit, and whom do we call with questions?

A bed at a safe height

A hospital bed can be set to the height the physiotherapist advises, which makes getting in and out easier. A manual bed is adjusted with hand cranks; a motorised bed with buttons, which helps if the position needs changing often.

Place the bed with space on the side the person gets out from, and keep a light within reach.

Walker and commode for the bathroom

A walker gives support while walking. A commode chair can be used beside the bed or over the toilet.

One unit is one of the two: if you need both, add two. We confirm which one with you by phone before delivery.

A wheelchair for longer trips

For hospital visits and longer distances, a foldable wheelchair saves effort. The technician shows you how to fold it and use the brakes; help the person in and out as the physiotherapist advises.

If they spend most of the day in bed

Lying in one position for long puts pressure on the skin. An alternating air mattress shifts the pressure under the body; use it, and change the person's position, as the nurse advises.

Preparing the room

  • Clear a wide path from the bed to the bathroom.
  • Take up loose rugs and move cables that could cause a trip.
  • Keep a night light on the way to the bathroom.
  • Keep the phone, water and glasses within reach of the bed.

How long to rent

Rent month by month. You can extend from My rentals or by calling us, and book a pickup when the person no longer needs the equipment.

Returning it early? Rent is paid per month in advance and the month you are in is not refunded. Your deposit is refunded as usual after pickup.

Equipment in this guide

Related guides

Questions?

Call us. We're happy to talk it through.