Hip Replacement Recovery: What You Actually Need

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.

HealthSmart Round Toilet Seat Riser

The clamp-on riser that fit either bowl shape is out of stock as of 6 August 2026 — so bowl shape decides the buy now. 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.
• ✓$27.99 as of 6 August 2026, 300 lb. weight cap — rests on the existing bowl rim, no tools.
• ✓Buy the wrong shape and it rocks or won't seat flush — the most common return reason for any raised seat.

The count: Of the five raised-seat options we checked, the only one that fit either bowl shape without measuring — the HealthSmart locking riser — is out of stock as of 6 August 2026. With that option gone, this card leads with the 30-second measurement instead; 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): Not compatible with elongated bowls — the listing says so outright. Measure first; if your toilet is elongated, use the Carex riser below instead.

“The loo raiser seat has also been amazing, still using it.”

— a BoneSmart forum member, 7 weeks into THR recovery

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

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.
• ✓$39.99 for all seven vs. $59.91 buying a reacher, sock aid, and shoehorn separately.

The count: We checked four reacher and hip-kit options for this hub; this is the only one that bundles all four pieces that matter (reacher, sock aid, shoehorn, dressing stick) for less than buying them separately — $39.99 here vs. $59.91 for those three alone.

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.

“I found the “hip kits” sold on Amazon to be of great use. The basic one is adequate. I used all and still use the grabber and shoe horn.”

— a BoneSmart forum member, THR recovery thread

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

RMS Premium Leg Lifter with Hand Strap and Foot Loop

Some people find a bathrobe belt works just as well — but if bending forward is off the table for you, this is the $9 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.

The count: We checked two leg lifter straps for this hub — this RMS pick and a 7-inch-longer Nourislif alternative — both using the same rigid-strap-and-loop design. That's a smaller field than most picks on this site because it's a genuinely new category: the knee-replacement hub skips this item on purpose, since knee patients can usually still bend forward far enough to manage without one.

One flaw (not a dealbreaker): One BoneSmart poster called it “unnecessary… the belt of a bathrobe works just as well” — a genuine split opinion, not a must-buy. Try the bathrobe-belt trick first if you're not sure.

“I didn't use the leg lifter stick, but they suggested it in the hospital.”

— a BoneSmart forum member, UK recovery thread

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

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 DMECS walker registry.
• ✓Walkers came up in 5 of the 31 recovery-forum posts we analyzed — more often as something borrowed than bought new.

The count: We started from the 1,626 walkers in Medicare's own device classification registry (data/dmecs_products.json) and checked 5 folding and rollator options ourselves — this two-button Drive is the only one of the five with no seat, the plain pattern Medicare's E0143 code was built around, not a rollator with extra parts to break.

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

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

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.

The count: Checked four shower seats in this category; 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.

“My large walk-in shower — I wouldn't have been able to climb over a bath.”

— a BoneSmart forum member, 4 weeks post-op THR

Because hip swelling is real but modest next to a knee's — a plain gel pack shaped for a hip covers it, and most people here never buy a machine.

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.

The count: The knee-replacement hub's ice pick (REVIX) is contoured for a kneecap — we checked its own listing before reusing anything here and confirmed it's built to 'match up the knee cap.' Rather than disclose a shape mismatch on this hub, we searched for and verified a hip-specific alternative 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.

“An ice pack or two are essential”

— a BoneSmart forum member, 7 weeks into THR recovery