Did you have a hip injury or hip replacement surgery?

Hip replacements or injuries to the hip can happen and measures must be taken during the recovery time to avoid reinjuring the damaged hip. If you have a recovering relative, there are some things you can do to ensure that your loved one gets better.

Recovery Considerations

During recovery from surgery or an injury to the hip, there will be physical therapy and medications your relative needs to ensure fully use of the hip after recovery is complete. You may need to help your relative with transportation to physical therapy sessions or home exercises recommended by the therapist. Medication reminders should be given to your relative if your loved one has difficulty remembering to take them. Not taking the medications may delay recovery or increase the pain felt from the injured hip.

Getting Around

Since the hip is responsible for helping to move the leg and supporting the body, injury or hip replacement surgery can make walking around the house difficult. You want to lessen the chances that your loved one falls by getting rid of all trip hazards in the house. There should be clear walking paths in the home that create the shortest route between places. You may need to move some furniture like small end tables or coffee tables to accomplish this.

Check the condition of your relative’s cane, crutches, walker or wheel chair to ensure that no parts have become worn on it and it can be easily used. With canes, walkers, and crutches the rubber tip at the bottom can wear down, causing the device to slip when leaned on. Replacing this rubber piece with a new one can make the cane, walker or crutch safer to use.

You or a professional caregiver will need to be on hand to help your relative with any lifting, reaching, or bending that may be required and to assist your relative to get up and down from chairs or in and out of the car.

Should your loved one be alone when recovering from hip replacement surgery or an injury, provide a medical alert from Pioneer Emergency. This device can get emergency assistance to your relative by pushing the device’s button. Whether you are there or not, help is at your relative’s finger tip with a Pioneer Emergency medical alarm system.