Hip Replacement Recovery: What You Actually Need

The problem is reach and height, not swelling — and that changes the whole list. Checked against Medicare data and named hospital instructions.

By VerifiedCareData · How we check. Last checked .

Many surgeons still ask hip patients to avoid bending much past a right angle, crossing the legs, or turning the leg inward for the first several weeks — though not every surgeon uses those rules, and an anterior approach often carries none. Follow your own discharge sheet over anything here. Either way, what the equipment is for is the same: you can usually put weight on the new hip almost straight away, but getting down to things and back up from them is the part that gets hard. The six core items come to about $178 on Amazon today.

Every pick here is checked two ways — Medicare’s own coverage and fee data, and named hospital instructions — how we choose →

Raise what’s too low

The first thing people change is the height of everything they sit on.

A raised toilet seat is the clearest hip-specific item on this page. AAOS and HSS both name it first on their equipment lists. It is a short-term item, so check whether you can borrow one before you order.

Carex Hinged Round Raised Toilet Seat Riser

Because AAOS and HSS both name this first on their equipment lists — and reaching down to check your bowl shape isn't easy right now.

The toilet seat — measure first

Carex Hinged Round Raised Toilet Seat Riser

Toilets come in two bowl shapes, and each riser we link fits one. This is the round-bowl fit; the elongated match is one tap below.

  • 30-second check: about 16–16½" from the mounting bolts to the bowl's front edge means round, about 18–18½" means elongated.
  • $36.08, 300 lb. weight cap, adds 3.5 inches — installs under your existing seat and hinges up for cleaning.
  • Buy the wrong shape and it rocks or won't seat flush — the most common return reason for any raised seat.

How we chose it: We checked five raised-seat options. The ones we link each fit one bowl shape, so measure first. If you mainly need push-up support rather than extra height, the toilet safety frame below skips the measuring question entirely.

One flaw (not a dealbreaker): Round bowls only — the listing says it is for round toilets. Measure first; if your toilet is elongated, use the elongated Carex riser below instead.

See the Carex Hinged Round Raised Toilet Seat Riser on Amazon →

Elongated bowl? The Carex elongated-fit riser ($38.39) →

See the full raised-toilet-seat comparison →

Carex Toilet Safety Frame

Because a raised seat doesn't fit every toilet — this works regardless of shape.

Toilet safety frame

Carex Toilet Support Rail

Handles to push up on, with no added height. Best for a low-cost pair of handles that bolt under the seat hinge, on round or elongated toilets.

  • Bolts to the toilet under the seat hinge (Carex); you need a screwdriver.
  • Handles 16–18 inches apart; fits round or elongated bowls.
  • 300 lb weight limit.
See the Carex Toilet Support Rail on Amazon →

See the full raised-toilet-seat comparison →

Sephyroth Adjustable Bed & Furniture Risers, 4-Pack, 2" or 4" Height, Screw-Clamp

Because AAOS names a firm, higher chair as its own equipment line — and your favorite chair might sit too low right now.

Furniture / chair risers

Sephyroth Adjustable Bed & Furniture Risers (4-Pack)

Screw-clamp risers that lock onto a chair, sofa, or bed leg — raises it 2 or 4 inches.

  • Screw-clamp design locks onto square or round legs, 0.8"–1.6" diameter — won't shift once your weight is on it.
  • Choose 2" or 4" of extra height per set of 4.
  • Felt pads on the base protect floors.
See the Sephyroth Adjustable Bed & Furniture Risers (4-Pack) on Amazon →
Gorilla Grip Patented Bath Tub Shower Mat, Suction Cups and Drain Holes, 35x16 Inch

Because a wet floor and a healing hip are a bad combination — this is the cheap insurance.

Non-slip bath mat

Gorilla Grip Bath Tub Shower Mat

A cheap extra layer of grip under your shower chair or bench.

  • 35" × 16" mat with suction cups and drain holes.
  • Machine washable — stays flat instead of curling up.
See the Gorilla Grip Bath Tub Shower Mat on Amazon →

Reaching what you can’t bend to get

The tools that exist purely because your hand can no longer get to your foot.

This is the group that separates a hip from a knee. Hip precautions limit how far you can bend, so these tools do the reaching for you. A second reacher is cheap if you expect to drop the first one.

Medline Premium Hip Kit, Mobility Aids for Hip Surgery Recovery, 7-Pieces, 26" Grabber Reacher, Shoehorn, Sock-Aid, Dressing Stick, Shoelaces, Bath Sponge

Because for the first several weeks, bending forward to reach your own feet is exactly the motion most surgeons ask you to avoid.

The hip kit

Medline Premium Hip Kit (7-piece)

Named and built for this exact surgery — not a knee product doing double duty.

  • 7 pieces: 26" grabber reacher, shoehorn, sock aid, dressing stick, elastic laces, bath sponge.
  • 26" reach means you're not bending past the line your surgeon set.
  • All seven pieces come in one box. Today the kit is $39.99, less than the $59.91 for a reacher, sock aid, and shoehorn bought separately.

How we chose it: We compared four reacher and hip-kit options. This is the only one that bundles all four pieces that matter (reacher, sock aid, shoehorn, dressing stick) in one box.

One flaw (not a dealbreaker): Two pieces (elastic laces, bath sponge) you may already have — the reacher, sock aid, shoehorn, and dressing stick are the four AAOS's own hip-replacement equipment list names.

See the Medline Premium Hip Kit (7-piece) on Amazon →

Also good for less: the reacher alone if you already have a sock aid and shoehorn ($29.95) →

See the full reacher & hip-kit comparison →

RMS Premium Leg Lifter with Hand Strap and Foot Loop, 35 Inch

Because bending forward to grab your own leg is exactly the motion most hip precautions rule out.

The leg lifter

RMS Premium Leg Lifter with Hand Strap and Foot Loop

If bending forward is off the table for you, this is the simple fix.

  • 35" rigid strap with a metal-rod core — hooks under a foot to lift your leg onto a bed, into a car, or off a wheelchair footrest.
  • Same RMS brand as the sock aid and long-handled shoehorn already on this site.
  • Listed as commonly recommended by physical and occupational therapists for lower-body mobility limits.

How we chose it: We compared two leg lifter straps: this RMS pick and a 7-inch-longer Nourislif alternative. Both use the same rigid-strap-and-loop design. It's a small field. Our knee replacement guide skips this item on purpose, since knee patients can usually still bend forward far enough to manage without one.

One flaw (not a dealbreaker): Not a must-buy. A sturdy belt can stand in for it. Ask your therapist if you're not sure.

See the RMS Premium Leg Lifter with Hand Strap and Foot Loop on Amazon →

Also good: 7" longer, for a taller bed or car seat ($9.59) →

See how it fits into the dressing routine →

Xpand No Tie Elastic Shoe Laces for Sneakers

Because bending down to tie a shoe is off the table for a while.

Elastic laces

Xpand No-Tie Elastic Shoelaces

Turns any lace-up shoe into a slip-on — no bending to tie.

  • Stretches to fit, no tying — your hip can't bend that far yet.
  • Works on sneakers and most lace-up walking shoes.
See the Xpand No-Tie Elastic Shoelaces on Amazon →

Getting around: walker, then crutches, then a cane

Hip patients usually move through walking aids faster than knee patients.

Most hip patients can put weight on the new joint almost right away. That is why they usually move from walker to crutches to a cane quickly. Your physical therapist decides when you move to the next one.

We do not have a cane pick yet. Many people move to a cane after the walker, and we have not researched one yet. Ask your physical therapist about height and grip at the session where they clear you for it.

Drive Medical Two-Button Folding Walker with Wheels, Height Adjustable

Because your first steps out of bed need something steadier than your own two legs.

The walker

Drive Medical Two-Button Folding Walker

The standard folding walker most people go home with.

  • Two-button release folds one-handed — no bending to unlock.
  • 350 lb. weight cap, 5" front wheels roll over carpet.
  • Classified E0143 in Medicare's own walker classification list (DMECS).

How we chose it: We compared 11 walkers and rollators. This two-button Drive is the only one with no seat: nothing extra to break, and at 7.5 lb (Drive's spec) the lightest of them.

One flaw (not a dealbreaker): No seat — if you'll want rest breaks mid-hallway, see the rollator options in our walker comparison.

See the Drive Medical Two-Button Folding Walker on Amazon →

See the full walker comparison →

NOVA Walker Tray Table with Raised Edges and Two Cup Holders

Because both hands are on the walker, and nothing else gets carried.

Walker tray

NOVA Walker Tray

Both hands are on the walker — this is where a drink actually rides.

  • Two cup holders and a raised edge; fits 2-button folding walkers like the one above.
  • 16" × 22.75" tray — big enough for a dinner plate.
See the NOVA Walker Tray on Amazon →

The bathroom

Depends entirely on your bathroom — measure before you buy any of these.

A shower seat or a commode is useful if your shower has a step over a tub wall, or if your only bathroom is up a flight of stairs. Skippable otherwise — and note that Medicare covers none of this category by statute.

Medline Shower Chair with Backrest and Padded Armrests

Because standing and balancing on one leg in a wet shower isn't a safe bet yet — you need something to sit on.

The shower seat

Medline Shower Chair with Backrest

Backrest and arms give you something to push off, not just balance on.

  • 350 lb. weight cap, padded armrests and backrest.
  • Height adjusts in 1" steps, 16"–21", to fit your stall.
  • No Medicare coverage for shower chairs, by law — budget accordingly.

How we chose it: We compared four shower seats. This is the one built for a standard walk-in shower, with a full backrest and padded arms. The backless stool skips the back, the tub bench is for stepping over a tub wall, and the bariatric bench costs more for capacity most people don't need.

One flaw (not a dealbreaker): Made for a walk-in shower — if your only bathing option is a tub with a wall to step over, this won't help; see the tub transfer bench instead.

See the Medline Shower Chair with Backrest on Amazon →

Also good for less: backless shower stool ($30.79) →

See the full shower-chair & tub-bench comparison →

Drive Medical Tub Transfer Bench for Bathtub, Height Adjustable

Because stepping over a tub wall means lifting a leg past the line your hip precautions set.

Tub transfer bench

Drive Medical Tub Transfer Bench

Sit outside the tub, then slide across — no lifting your leg over the wall.

  • 350 lb. weight cap, dual-column legs adjust in 0.5" steps.
  • Drainage holes and suction-cup feet for a wet tub floor.
  • Classified E0247 in HCPCS — still $0 from Medicare, by law.
See the Drive Medical Tub Transfer Bench on Amazon →

See the full tub transfer bench comparison →

Medline Adjustable Steel Drop-Arm Bedside Commode, Portable Bedside Toilet, 350 lb Weight Capacity

Because a hallway that used to take ten seconds can feel like a mile at 2 a.m.

Bedside commode

Medline Adjustable Steel Drop-Arm Bedside Commode

Shortens the bathroom trip — for stairs or a hallway that feels too far at night.

  • 350 lb. weight cap; drop-down arms make a bed-to-commode transfer easier without twisting.
  • HCPCS E0163 — one of Medicare's covered commode codes.
  • Medicare fee runs $60.15–$139.61 with a prescription.
See the Medline Adjustable Steel Drop-Arm Bedside Commode on Amazon →

See what Medicare pays for this →

Sleeping on your back

The restriction people find hardest, and the one product answer to it.

Side-sleeping is usually off the table for the first several weeks. The usual advice is a pillow between the knees. Ask your surgeon what they want you to use.

NYOrtho Abduction Wedge Knee Separator for Hip Surgery Recovery, 4" Orthopedic Pillow

Because some surgeons prescribe this to keep your hip aligned — but not everyone needs to buy one.

Hip abduction pillow

NYOrtho Abduction Wedge Knee Separator

Ask your surgeon first — if one's prescribed, it's usually supplied for you, not bought.

  • Holds a fixed 4-inch gap between your knees, with an adjustable strap.
  • HSS's own patient materials describe this as surgeon-conditional: instructions on when to use the brace are “provided… by your surgeon.”
  • Some people buy a soft version just for sleep comfort, separate from any prescribed brace.
See the NYOrtho Abduction Wedge Knee Separator on Amazon →

What hip patients need less of than knee patients

The other half of the comparison, and the reason not to copy a knee checklist.

A knee replacement swells hard, and people ice it near-constantly for weeks. A hip swells less. A cold-therapy machine is likely more than a hip needs.

So a plain gel pack is the right starting point here. If you are having a knee done as well, or later, that is when the rent-versus-buy question on a machine becomes worth asking — the knee page covers it.

Magic Gel Hip Ice Pack Wrap

Because hip swelling is real but modest next to a knee's — a plain gel pack shaped for a hip covers it, and a machine is likely more than you need.

The ice pack

Magic Gel Hip Ice Pack Wrap

Curved for the hip, not adapted from a knee wrap — two straps hold it in place hands-free.

  • Anatomically curved to hug the hip and outer thigh, with a strap around the waist and one around the leg.
  • Stays cold about 20 minutes per application, per the listing — freeze a second one so you're never waiting on a refreeze.
  • Designed with an orthopedist for post-surgical inflammation and hip bursitis, per the listing.

How we chose it: The ice pack we pick for knee replacement (REVIX) is contoured for a kneecap. Its listing says it's built to 'match up the knee cap.' So we looked for a pack made for the hip instead. This is the one we'd buy.

One flaw (not a dealbreaker): No continuous cold — you're swapping packs from the freezer, the same tradeoff as any gel pack against a machine.

See the Magic Gel Hip Ice Pack Wrap on Amazon →

See the full ice-therapy comparison →

How we know this

Every recommendation above has to survive independent checks. None of them is our opinion.

  1. Medicare’s own data. Whether the item is covered, what it pays, and how many were billed nationally — from the CMS DMEPOS fee schedule, the HCPCS Level II file and 2024 claims counts, taken straight from CMS. Published as an open dataset.
  2. Named hospital instructions. Clinical claims are quoted from a named institution’s own discharge or patient-education material and linked, never paraphrased into fact. Where sources disagree, the page says they disagree instead of picking one.

Our datasets are published under CC BY 4.0 — see the rest of our datasets. More about who writes this and how →

Go deeper

Two follow-up pages cover the questions that come up most for this surgery specifically — Medicare's fine print, and getting dressed under hip precautions.

What Medicare actually pays for after hip replacement

Every fee, every claim count, and the one nuance the recliner debate always misses — no affiliate links on this page.

Getting dressed with hip precautions

Socks, shoes, and pants without bending past the line your surgeon set — the sock aid, dressing stick, and leg lifter, explained.
This is an equipment and cost-coverage guide, not medical advice. The hip-precaution framing above summarizes what hospital patient-education materials say in general terms — it doesn't cover weight-bearing status, physical therapy, or any instruction that should come from your surgeon or care team. Precautions vary by surgeon and surgical approach; follow your own discharge instructions over anything here.
See the full printable checklist — all 25 items, every phase ↓

The complete before-surgery / week-1 / weeks-2–6 timeline, with every item's coverage flag and HCPCS code. This is what prints when you use the button up top.

Covered w/ Rx Medicare Part B typically pays toward this with a doctor's order (20% coinsurance + Part B deductible apply; supplier must be Medicare-enrolled).
Buy Not billed as DME under Medicare -- bought retail.
Rent Usually rented short-term rather than bought or billed to Medicare.
Borrow — check recall Commonly borrowed secondhand -- check the model/brand against the CPSC recall list before use.
The full 25-item hip-replacement checklist
ItemCategoryPhaseFlagHCPCS
Hip kit (7-piece bundle) Dressing Before surgery Buy —
Folding wheeled walker Getting around Before surgery Covered w/ Rx E0143
Raised toilet seat Bathroom Before surgery Buy E0244
Shower chair or bench Bathroom Before surgery Buy E0240
Tub transfer bench Bathroom Before surgery Buy E0247
Toilet safety frame Bathroom Before surgery Buy —
Non-slip bath mat Bathroom Before surgery Buy —
Leg lifter strap Dressing Before surgery Buy —
Sock aid (standalone) Dressing Before surgery Buy —
Long-handled shoehorn (standalone) Dressing Before surgery Buy —
Reacher / grabber tool Dressing Before surgery Buy —
Elastic no-tie laces Dressing Before surgery Buy —
Hip abduction / knee-separator pillow Sleeping & positioning Before surgery Buy —
Hospital bed, semi-electric Sleeping & positioning Before surgery Covered w/ Rx E0260
Portable bed rail Sleeping & positioning Before surgery Borrow — check recall —
Ice packs (hip-shaped) Ice & swelling Before surgery Buy —
Walker bag, basket, or apron Home setup Before surgery Buy —
Portable/adjustable table Home setup Before surgery Buy —
Furniture / chair risers Home setup Before surgery Buy —
Crutches, underarm (pair) Getting around Week 1 Covered w/ Rx E0114
Recliner / lift chair Getting around Week 1 Covered w/ Rx E0627
Bedside commode Bathroom Week 1 Covered w/ Rx E0163
Dressing stick Dressing Week 1 Buy —
Cold-therapy / cryo-cuff machine Ice & swelling Week 1 Rent —
Cane Getting around Weeks 2–6 Covered w/ Rx E0100
What Medicare pays

Medicare covers 6 of the 25 items on this hip-replacement equipment checklist with a doctor's prescription.

Every bathroom-safety item on this checklist — shower chairs, tub benches, and raised toilet seats — pays zero Medicare dollars, by law, regardless of prescription.

Source: CMS DMEPOS Fee Schedule, July 2026 (DME26-C) + CMS DMEPOS utilization by Geography/Service, 2024

See every fee, every code, and the prescription rules →

This page has Amazon links — we may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which product we recommend. See our methodology.

Sources

  1. AAOS OrthoInfo, "Total Hip Replacement" — surgery-volume figure (450,000+/yr) and the equipment list this checklist is built from; read 2026-07-28
  2. Cleveland Clinic, "Hip Replacement Surgery: What It Is & Recovery Time" — the plain-language precaution phrasing used in the intro above; reviewed 07/24/2025, read 2026-07-28
  3. HSS Complex Joint Reconstruction Center patient booklet (PDF) — the exact 90-degree/crossing/rotation precaution wording and the hip-abduction-brace conditional-and-surgeon-supplied language; read 2026-07-28
  4. HSS newsroom, Dr. Peter K. Sculco (2019) — research on why not every surgeon uses hip precautions anymore
  5. CMS DMEPOS Fee Schedule, July 2026 release (DME26-C) — purchase-fee ranges cited throughout this checklist
  6. CMS HCPCS Level II quarterly file, July 2026 release — code descriptions
  7. CMS DMEPOS utilization by Geography and Service, 2024 — national claim counts and totals from data.cms.gov
  8. Palmetto GBA DMECS Product Classification List (PDAC) — walker classification lookups (E0143) — full detail in our methodology
  9. CPSC SaferProducts.gov recall database — 39 adult portable bed rail recalls, deaths mentioned in 6 of them — see Borrow or skip above
  10. Amazon product listings — We check each Amazon price and whether it is in stock every night. A price only shows if it was checked in the last 24 hours.
  11. Our free dataset (CC BY 4.0) — every HCPCS code, fee range, and recall count above in one downloadable file