Home Safety After Hip or Knee Replacement: A Recovery Checklist

Every year, more than one million Americans undergo hip replacement or knee replacement surgery — and the vast majority recover at home. That’s the good news. The reality check? Falls are the leading cause of injury among older adults, and the weeks immediately following joint replacement are among the highest-risk periods.

Here’s what many patients don’t realize until they’re standing at their front door on crutches: the home you left for the hospital isn’t the home you need to come back to. That loose bathroom rug, the low couch, the cluttered hallway — everyday details become genuine hazards when you’re navigating life with a new joint and strict movement precautions.

The solution? Prepare before surgery day. This room-by-room checklist will help you — or the family member helping you — create a safe recovery space. Print it, bookmark it, or send it to your loved ones. A few hours of preparation now can prevent setbacks that cost weeks of healing.

Pre-Surgery Home Preparation: Start Here

Complete these foundational steps one to two weeks before surgery:

• Walk through your home with a walker or crutches (borrow or rent them early). Note every obstacle.
• Choose your “recovery zone.” Pick a main-floor room with easy access to a bathroom and kitchen.
• Clear all pathways to at least 36 inches wide for walker clearance.
• Remove every loose rug and runner. No exceptions.
• Tape down or reroute cords and cables so nothing crosses a walking path.
• Stock up on at least two weeks of groceries, medications, and toiletries.
• Set up your phone with your surgeon’s office, physical therapist, and emergency contacts on speed dial.

Room-by-Room Safety Audit

Bathroom

The most dangerous room during recovery. Wet surfaces, tight spaces, and the physical demands of toileting and showering make this your top priority.

• Install wall-mounted grab bars next to the toilet and inside the shower (rated for 250+ lbs — skip suction-cup models)
• Add a raised toilet seat with armrests — a standard-height toilet violates most hip precautions
• Place a shower bench inside the tub or stall; standing showers aren’t safe the first several weeks
• Attach a handheld showerhead so you can bathe seated
• Use non-slip mats inside the tub and on the floor outside it
• Move toiletries to waist height — no bending or overhead reaching
• Keep a nightlight on 24/7

Bedroom

For detailed post-surgical movement techniques, visit DrSensory’s orthopedic resource hub.

• Check bed height. When sitting on the edge, your hips should be level with or slightly higher than your knees. Add bed risers or a mattress topper if needed.
• Clear the path to the bathroom — this midnight route must be obstacle-free and well-lit.
• Stock your nightstand: phone, medications, water bottle, remote, flashlight, and a reacher/grabber.
• Remove anything on wheels (rolling chairs, mobile nightstands) that could slide when you lean on it.
• Keep a firm pillow nearby — after hip replacement you may need one between your knees while sleeping.

Kitchen

• Pre-make and freeze meals for at least two weeks — soups, casseroles, and one-dish meals that reheat easily.
• Move daily essentials to counter height. Plates, cups, silverware, snacks, and medications — no bending or reaching overhead.
• Get a rolling cart. You can’t carry items while using a walker; a cart moves everything for you.
• Switch to lightweight, unbreakable dishes. Dropping a ceramic plate creates a fall hazard if you instinctively step around shards.
• Keep a stool with rubber feet nearby for seated counter tasks.

Living Room

• Use a firm chair with armrests as your primary seat — low, soft couches are very difficult to rise from after surgery.
• Place a side table within reach for phone, water, remote, and medications.
• Clear the floor of footrests, pet toys, baskets, and anything at ground level.

Stairs

• Avoid stairs entirely for the first one to two weeks if possible. Set up your recovery zone on the main floor.
• If you must use stairs, ensure a sturdy handrail on at least one side. Your PT will teach the “good leg up, bad leg down” technique.
• Add non-slip treads to uncarpeted steps and install motion-sensor lighting in stairwells.
• Never carry anything on stairs — use a backpack or have someone pass items.

Essential Equipment Checklist

Many items are covered by insurance with a prescription — ask your surgeon’s office before purchasing. A physical or occupational therapist can also assess your home and recommend specific products.

Commonly covered by insurance: - Walker or crutches - Raised toilet seat - Shower bench or transfer bench - Ice machine or gel packs

Usually out-of-pocket (but inexpensive): - Grab bars (covered sometimes; installation usually isn’t) - Reacher/grabber tool - Long-handled shoehorn and sock aid - Leg lifter strap - Handheld showerhead - Bed risers - Non-slip mats

Fall Prevention: The Details That Matter

Falls are the number-one complication that sends joint replacement patients back to the hospital. Beyond the room-by-room changes above, address these often-overlooked hazards:

• Lighting. Nightlights in every room and hallway. Replace burned-out bulbs before surgery.
• Footwear. Non-slip, closed-back shoes or rubber-soled slippers — even indoors. No bare feet, socks-only, or flip-flops.
• Pets. Dogs and cats are real trip hazards. Use baby gates to keep them out of your recovery zone and walking paths.
• Weather. If your surgery is in winter, arrange for someone to salt and shovel your walkway before you return.
• Medications. Pain meds cause dizziness. Stand slowly, pause for 10 seconds at the edge of the bed or chair, then walk.
• Rushing. Most falls happen when patients try to move faster than their ability allows. Give yourself extra time for everything.

Your First-Week Daily Routine

A loose schedule keeps you on track with exercises, medications, and rest. Adjust based on your surgeon’s and PT’s instructions.

• Morning: Wake, take medications, eat breakfast seated. Complete PT exercises (ankle pumps, quad sets, gentle range-of-motion). Ice for 20 minutes.
• Late morning: Rest and light activity from your chair. Take a short walk inside the home.
• Midday: Lunch, medications if scheduled. Nap with your leg elevated. Ice again.
• Afternoon: Second round of PT exercises. Another short walk (indoors or to the mailbox as tolerated).
• Evening: Dinner, evening medications, rest, ice, and gentle stretching. Set up nightstand essentials and go to bed.

Week-one reminders: Take pain medication on schedule — don’t wait until pain becomes severe. Do your exercises as prescribed. Walk short distances multiple times a day rather than one long walk. Stay hydrated with at least eight glasses of water.

When You Need a Caregiver vs. Managing Alone

Most surgeons recommend having someone with you for at least the first three to seven days after discharge. But not everyone has a family member who can take time off work.

You can likely manage alone when you can: - Get in and out of bed safely - Use the bathroom independently - Prepare or reheat a simple meal - Walk with your walker without feeling unsteady

You likely need help if: - You live alone during the first three to five days - You feel dizzy or unsteady, even with a walker - You need assistance with bathing, dressing, or grooming - You can’t safely access food or prepare meals - You have no one to drive you to follow-up appointments

This is where non-medical home care fills a critical gap. Services like AideChoice connect you with vetted caregivers who handle the practical, daily tasks that medical professionals don’t cover — meal preparation, light housekeeping, mobility assistance, transportation to post-op appointments, medication reminders, and companionship. For families in the Greater Philadelphia area, AideChoice’s flexible services start at $45/hour with no contracts, so you can book a caregiver through the app for exactly the hours you need.

The key distinction: your physical therapist and surgeon handle the medical recovery. A non-medical caregiver handles everything else so you can focus on healing.

Warning Signs: Know When to Call

Call Your Surgeon’s Office:

• Increasing pain not controlled by prescribed medications
• Worsening redness, warmth, or swelling around the incision
• Drainage that’s cloudy, yellow, or has an odor
• Fever above 101°F (38.3°C)
• Constipation lasting more than three days

Call 911 Immediately:

• Sudden chest pain or difficulty breathing (possible pulmonary embolism)
• One calf becomes significantly more swollen, red, and painful than the other (possible blood clot)
• A fall causing severe pain, inability to bear weight, or visible deformity
• Uncontrolled bleeding from the incision
• Loss of feeling or circulation in your toes

When in doubt, call. Your surgical team would rather hear from you unnecessarily than have you wait on a concerning symptom.

Your Recovery, Your Pace

Preparing your home before surgery isn’t just a nice-to-do — it’s one of the most impactful steps you can take to protect your recovery. Most of the changes above take an afternoon to complete. Recruit a family member, friend, or caregiver to help work through them, and you’ll come home to a space that supports your healing from day one.

For trusted, evidence-based guidance throughout your recovery, explore DrSensory’s orthopedic resources. And if you need a helping hand at home during those critical first weeks, support is available — you don’t have to do this alone.

Frequently Asked Questions