What is a Hip Kit?
A hip kit is a collection of products designed to help improve independence and issues of reach after experiencing hip replacement surgery. To prevent injury to the hip prosthesis and surrounding tissues after surgery it is necessary to take certain precautions. Some movements are restricted until you are fully healed. This can make dressing challenging. By using the contents of the hip kit you can dress independently and maintain privacy after surgery.
Who Can Use a Hip Kit?
A hip kit is generally intended for people who have had hip replacement surgery. However, a hip kit is helpful for anyone who is dealing with limited mobility due to anything from injury, arthritis, to a more general lack of muscle control. If a person struggles with bending, reaching their shoes, gripping socks, a hip kit can help them dress by themselves and help them either regain or retain their independence.A hip kit is a collection of dressing aids so it can help anyone who needs help dressing alone. Duro-Med put together a hip kit that comes with a wide variety of products to help the healing process following surgery.
What Comes in a Hip Kit?
- 24" Reacher - A reacher can be used to pick up light objects that have fallen or objects that are on a shelf that can't be reached. If bending is painful or restricted because of surgery than a reacher can be a great tool.
- Deluxe Sock Aid - A deluxe sock aid is designed to help people with limited mobility put on socks without having to bend their legs or reach their toes.
- 24" Dressing Stick - For some people putting on clothes can be a challenge because it involves so much reaching and pulling. A dressing stick can help you pull up pants, as well as put on shirts and jackets. A dressing stick can also help you dress independently if you have one arm or one hand.
- 19 1/2" Shoe Horn - Getting your feet into a pair of shoes may sound simple but if you are dealing with the loss of mobility it can be a daunting task. A shoe horn can be used to help you slide your foot into your shoe without having to bend down and reach your feet. There are also more flexible shoe horns if that is what you prefer.
- Elastic Shoelaces - Elastic shoelaces help convert tied shoes into "slip-ons". The act of tying shoes can be challenging if you have a limited range of motion or if you have stiffness in the joints of your hand due to arthritis. When you have a hip replacement surgery you will not be able to fully bend until you are cleared by your doctor. Elastic shoelaces will make it so you can tie your shoes in your lap and then use your shoe horn to put your shoes on, all without painful bending.
- 22 1/2" "Scrubbies" Long Handled Bath Sponge - Bathing and showering require a lot of bending and reaching. This body sponge on a stick helps you reach your back, feet, or any area that was hard to clean effectively and independently. This is a great bathing tool for anyone dealing with hip replacement or mobility issues.
Whether you are recovering from surgery or just need some extra help getting dressed, a hip kit can help with a wide range of dressing issues. If you don't need the full kit, you can find some of the products as individual items. Dressing aids such as a small hand held button pull is available if the full length dressing stick seems like it is unwieldy for small tasks. You can also find a selection of metal reachers that have magnetic tips and there are some reachers that fold for easy storage. When you start using a dressing aid there will be a learning curve. It may feel awkward at first and it will take work before you feel comfortable but the time spent learning how to use your hip kit is time well spent; especially if it means you can dress yourself independently again.
