Look for a metal, non-skid shower chair with a back to add more stability. Metal chairs are also more durable than plastics. Use a chair that is 17-18 inches higher than the floor to avoid bending your hips more than 90 degrees. [4] X Research source Justesen, S. , 2009, July 1 Try to get a shower chair with a footrest so if you are trying to shave your legs, you do not have to bend over.
It may be a good idea to also install a handheld showerhead. This will allow you to direct or control the flow of water on your body, especially if you are sitting down while showering.
Remember not to grab towel racks for support because these are not strong enough to hold your weight; you might end up falling.
You can also purchase a detachable elevated seat cover or have a toilet safety frame installed. In your pre surgery consultation, ask your orthopedic surgeon where you can purchase a toilet safety frame.
Make sure you also place a non slip or non skid bath mat outside the bathtub or shower door to help you get a firm footing after you bathe or shower.
If possible, switch out bar soap for liquid soap. You can easily drop bar soap by accident, which will force you to reach or bend for it. Liquid soap will be easier to use.
In the meantime, wash your upper body with the usual soap and water by using the sink or a small basin. You may ask the nurse at the hospital to help you wash or clean your private areas/genitals. They will know how to assist you. Since you won’t be doing any other tasks other than to get well after your surgery, you won’t be perspiring much so just try to relax and focus on resting.
To protect a surgical site without waterproof dressings, get a plastic bag and cut it so it just covers the surgical dressing (should be at least a few inches larger than the dressing). Make two plastic bag covers. The second one is a backup in case the first bag has any holes. Place the two cut plastic bags on the surgical site. Get tape and secure it. Make sure that a part of the tape touches your skin to prevent water from entering. If you cannot do this on your own, ask someone for assistance. You can also use medical or surgical tape, which can be purchased at your local drugstore.
Do not to reuse the plastic bag covers as it may rip off upon removal of the tape. Use a new one each time you take a shower.
Make sure your crutches are placed within reach in the bathroom so you can grab them easily after you’re done showering.
Make sure there is a clean, dry towel within reaching distance, such as on the rubber mat on the floor, just outside your bathtub or close to the shower seat.
You can stand up from the shower seat once or twice when bathing as long as you make sure that before you stand up, you dry your hands with a towel nearby and grab the vertical hand bars to support your weight.
Hold onto the horizontal bars and make small stomping gestures with your feet to dry them out.
Returning to everyday activities will take time and you may need to make some modifications to your lifestyle as you recover. Performing basic activities like bathing, walking, running, toilet activities and sexual activities will need to be done in a modified way to account for your new hip.
Using liquid soap instead of bar soap will limit the chances of this happening. Anything you have dropped on the floor while bathing must not be picked up. Instead, dry yourself and get out of the shower or bathroom to ask for assistance from a trusted family member or a caregiver, in picking up the soap or whatever has been dropped to the floor.
In a healthy hip, the ball-like structure is able to glide smoothly in any direction inside the socket. This is because the smooth cartilage, which is a flexible tissue covering the ends of the bones, serves as a cushion. If the smooth cartilage gets worn out or damaged due to a fall or an accident, the movement of the ball and socket becomes rough and rubs against each other. This causes damage in your hip’s bone structure and reduces the mobility of your legs.
Hip joint pain that severely limits your ability to do basic, daily activities. Hip joint pain that is present both at rest and during movement, day and night. Hip joint stiffness that limits your hip joint’s normal range of motion, especially when lifting your legs or while walking or running. If you have a degenerative hip joint condition, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, bone necrosis, fracture or in lesser cases, hip joint diseases found in children. If you are not getting enough support or pain relief from medications, conservative treatment and orthopaedic assistive devices for walking such as a cane or walker.
Total hip replacement surgery or hip arthroplasty, is a surgical procedure where the damaged bone and cartilage of the hip joint is removed and replaced with prosthetic parts. A socket made of a durable plastic replaces the worn out socket. It is then stabilized using a cement-like material. Your doctor may also just leave it in the socket to allow new bones growing in the area to stabilize it. [19] X Research source (Kennon, R. , 2008, January 1) Total hip replacement surgery will eliminate debilitating pain in your hip joint and help you resume normal activities such as bathing, walking, running, driving, etc. which have become virtually impossible to do pre-operation due to your injured hip. [20] X Research source
Your doctor will only recommend hip replacement surgery when these non-invasive treatments have not adequately helped you recover and resume your daily activities.
