What are /r/HipImpingement's favorite Products & Services?

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It’s likely the surgery center or hospital will provide them. Make sure they are adjusted to your height (including the handles) to ensure safe and proper use.

These are what I was provided and have worked out well for m https://www.amazon.com/Cardinal-Health-CA901AD-Axillary-Adjustable/dp/B00J3YKRKC

Oh, but definitely get a crutch bag. I got this one recommended here and it's been a life saver.

I use this one but there are cheaper options out there

https://www.amazon.com/Varier-Variable-Original-Kneeling-Designed/dp/B06XXPQN4B/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=knee+chair&qid=1621813334&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFJVjFJS1haN0g2RlYmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C8RBMQV?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I bought this one and got a lot of use out of it during my recovery. It's a bit light so I had to put it up against the wall so that I had enough traction, but it worked really well.

Capillary refill is the amount of time it takes the color to return to your toes after you apply and release pressure. Basically press down lightly on your nail bed or side of your toe for a few seconds then let go and count how long it takes the color to return to normal. A normal time is 2-3 seconds. Mine was usually a 4 in the post-op side foot when standing. (Don't worry about this too much if you're not used to doing it, I only knew how to check it from my job)

Getting up to go to the bathroom should be enough unless your doctor wants you doing more. My surgeon's protocol had me 0 weight bearing and minimal exercises for the first two weeks. I tried to get up every 1-2 hours at least to go to the bathroom or take a short crutch around my kitchen. The rest of the time I was on the couch with a giant pillow underneath my hips/knees and another pillow under my feet. Basically did my best to elevate from my hip down and wiggled my feet whenever I thought about it.

For getting out of bed I ended up using a rubber exercise band to help lift my foot. I put the band underneath my ankle or lower calf and used it to help left/rotate my leg to the side of the bed. It was super helpful those first few days, by week two I could do it with only my hands under my thigh. I think it was around week 3 I could lift and rotate my leg on its own.

My bed is also pretty high so this step stool was a lifesaver getting into and out of bed

This one is what I have and they may make other sizes: https://www.amazon.com/Drive-Medical-Elevated-Removable-Standard/dp/B002VWK0UK

I honestly don’t remember it being difficult to keep the leg/hip straight even when I didn’t have this. I just kind of kept the leg out to the side and, like, perched on the toilet? But the raiser with arms was super helpful when I couldn’t bend beyond 70 degrees after my second surgery.

I highly recommend this hip kit https://www.amazon.com/RMS-Hip-Kit-inch-Reacher/dp/B09V9FFNP6

Clip your toenails right before surgery. You won’t be able to reach ‘em for awhile.

Consider getting a shower chair. Walmart and drugstores and Amazon sell them. Your insurance may reimburse you.

Apply for a temporary handicap placard - really useful in icy parking lots. Do that ASAP to allow for processing time.

Your labrum won’t heal itself and your bone deformity will only keep messing up your joint more over time. Outcomes are generally good as long as you follow your doc’s instructions and they’re a skilled surgeon.

Good luck.

I used a husband pillow and this desk. The desk was a great table too when I couldn't sit at a regular chair to eat.

I didn't have a brace, but I bought several of these pants - https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B076F32Q4F/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 They're so stretchy and commonly used by pregnant women. I had both hips done (18 mos apart) and they were so easy.

Eat fiber, or take supplements. The opioid medications will clog you up otherwise. Nobody needs to be straining to poo post-surgery. My spouse gave me a stool softener twice a day, which helped.

If there's no one to help with meals, you'll want premade snacks. You can't carry a bowl or cup on your own while on crutches. And standing at the counter to make food AND eat it will be so tiresome on your non-surgical hip.

Just had this done on Friday.

1) The shock of surgery and/or the pain meds made me not go #2 for 72 hours. I wish i had taken miralax/stool softener sooner.

2) The only 2 things I bought ahead of time that have been very useful are a grabber and crutch bag. You may want to get a shower seat if you can find one cheap esp if you dont have anything to hold on to in the shower (I am totally non weight bearing on my op leg for 4-6 weeks)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SHPKWLY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004CZAB1M?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

3) You will want to prep the space you will be resting at home ahead of time with all the things you think you will want within the grabbers reach. I was not keen on trying stairs for the first 48 hours so keep this in mind when choice a space.

4) Be dilligent about icing and never more than 20min at a time.

5) Meal prep ahead of time or buy meals that are easy to make for your first week post op.

I wish I would have had more knowledge on these items before my surgery. I think there's videos of people using them on youtube if you need more info. Helps you put on socks/shoes, & theres a claw to grab things which will be SUPER handy https://www.amazon.com/Lumex-Kit-Post-Surgery-Dressing-Reacher/dp/B073WGB78K

good luck & godspeed with surgery! ☼

This might be slow but I could put my shoes and socks on with ease at about 6 months. I would get one of these sock aids and if you have the means some hands free shoes like kiziks. Kiziks made my life post-op so much easier.

This is the one that I bought. It’s important to get one with the right size pads. I use the larger pads (about the size of a playing card) for my glutes and quads. This one has two channels so you can be doing two areas at once. I usually do it for 10-20 minutes and fire the muscle when it contracts to work with the machine. This is how my p/t told me to use it.

https://www.amazon.com/7070-iReliev-Relief-Muscle-Stimulator/dp/B00USXKC52/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=1Z50BL9ZPC56I&keywords=tens+ems+unit+muscle+stimulator&qid=1656436990&sprefix=tens+em%2Caps%2C197&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=A3NVGZHRREJYT6&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExRlFJOEExOTJFNDdGJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzUxMTY2WjZRQ1JZQThKN09XJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAwNzk3OTEzQUFJQ1ZTVDJJOTlRJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfcGhvbmVfc2VhcmNoX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

This is the one I used, it also has ginger and black pepper. The ginger is also anti-inflammatory, and the pepper increases turmeric absorption.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078SH8WGC/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_api_i_1999V76E2GG0S0V2XHJW?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Clamshells are one of the core exercises I maintain in my set of exercises I always do, and my PT did have me do those the full time. Those along with bridges, fire hydrants, and squats (then some additional variants on those, add strong resistance bands, and a few other exercises).

I still recommend going to a new qualified PT, but it sounds like you could benefit from single leg press, starting with low weight and working up, progressing to single leg squats. Lunges may also help with that strength, and then doing lunges onto one of those half exercise balls to work on stability and improve strength. Those are some of the exercises I was working on before/during my return to sport.

I haven’t tried kneeling since my surgery (4 weeks tomorrow). Varier Gravity Balans chair looks intriguing but it’s so pricey.

I’ve been spending a lot of my recovery in my back yard in a zero gravity reclining chair (like this. Have you tried an office chair similar to this (but professional)?

I have pretty bad keloid scars from my hip scope. (25F) 2 years post-op I still wore a bikini every day when I went on vacation in the tropics this year. Use vitamin E oil religiously. I applied it every single day, and massaged it in for 2-3 minutes each time. You really have to keep massaging the area with the vitamin E oil to make a difference. Get the highest IU, most concentrated formula that you can find (try this one: https://www.amazon.com/RejuveNaturals-100-Pure-Natural-Vitamin/dp/B07N2HZ2LW/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=vitamin%2Be%2Boil&qid=1639546862&sr=8-11&th=1).

I also had a dog bit my face when I was young, resulting in 25 stitches on my face. My mom put vitamin E oil on my face every day, and only rarely, like 1/50 people I have ever met have asked me what the scar is on my face. It is almost impossible to see.

But my point is, own your scars, they are battle wounds and they show you how much stronger you are now and how much you have overcome :) tell people that it is a shark bite or whatever! Like it is any of their business anyway! Some anti-itch cream may help you in the meantime, but I promise the itch factor gets better in time, and rubbing hard on the scars with vitamin E oil will give you some improvements to the itch and appearance!

The hip brace certainly helped make sure I didn't over-exert which was key.

Have they mentioned needing to wear booties at night. I had to wear these foam boots that attached together to minimize moving during the night.

At one point the ice packs became a challenge. I went to an ice machine: https://www.amazon.com/Ossur-Ergonomic-adjustable-Lightweight-Cryotherapy/dp/B01N2TDMXR

Tons of types out there but I still use it 5-6x a day. Became way easier over ice/gel packs...just an observation.

Anytime! I'm sure you will come through it with flying colors.

A few things that look like they haven’t been mentioned:

1. Long handled shoe horn - helps you get your foot into those slip on sneakers without bending. After recovery, use to put on your shoes when you have freshly painted nails you don’t want to mess up.
2. Leg lifter strap (the kind that has metal inside so it stays straight). This is the one I got. Very optional, but extremely helpful early on when you’re trying to be very ginger and careful moving your leg around, especially getting in and out of bed.
3. Depending on your setup, also very optional, shower bench for getting in and out of a tub shower. Downside is they’re expensive, a lot more than just a shower stool. I split the cost with a family member who has a regular visitor with mobility issues that could benefit from it during their visits. Otherwise a shower stool/chair so you can sit is still good, see #4.
4. Handheld shower head. Makes it 100x easier to wash your hair while sitting, rather than flipping your head around trying to balance on one leg.

Congrats on getting it dialed in!

I'm doing pretty good. I went to a hockey game last night (sitting in the handicap section). Got wheeled in/out which helped. I am on one crutch at this point and hope to lose that shortly. I still have some swelling in my left leg which hasn't allowed circulation to go back to normal in my leg but as I move more it will get better. Much better vs last week.

Mobileg crutches are definitely way easier to use than regular crutches if that is an option - helps in moving a lot.

Oh - grab one of these if you can - life saver - great lap desk that tilts to your position - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K8FH7QB/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_asin\_title\_o03\_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Oh good!!! My dad brought over an ice bucket that circulates ice water - it was for his shoulder surgery.. it’s been the best help. Here’s a similar one I found on Amazon! It stays colder longer and easy on off

NEHOO Cold Therapy System, Low Noise Ice Therapy Machine, Continuous Cryotherapy Cold Pack, Universal Pad for Knee, Ankle, Cervical, Back, Leg and Hip https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FM8K3PW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_YE7FFBYKFHYSHWMSZ467

I had the same procedures done.

Before surgery, I was going to PT to build up some strength in areas where I would need it. I also started doing a lot more upper body workouts as I realized I would need more upper body strength to get in out of the bed (has come in handy). I also tried to shave off a few pounds to try to help post-op. I think those were all things I thought would be helpful to me. But I did go into surgery fairly fit overall.

Honestly, find a surgeon that does a lot of hips. I got the nerve block and it reduced postop pain for 24-36 hours and I didn't need any pain killers just naproxen. But again that might have just been me.

Buy the things you need ahead of time - grabber, ice machine (if insurance isn't covering it), walker, spring for the better crutches if offered as it was far more comfortable, etc...this subreddit has been an awesome resource. I bought a wedge pillow set (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085W5DXB3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and saved my life in terms of comfort. It helped sleeping on my back, being in the CPM machine, sitting up to ice, etc...

I did mine 11/2 as I figured I'd be more mobile by the holidays, but at this point I'd probably wait. But also my pain was really bad so I was already limited in mobility.

I wish you the best of luck when you get it done!

I wasn't given a brace or a boot, and I'm a side sleeper and I roll around a lot as well so this was a big concern for me. I ended up having to sleep on my back and I basically propped a bunch of pillows around my hip, leg, and foot to brace it in place. The first few days were rough because I would wake up stiff and in pain, but I eventually got used to it.

After a few fairly miserable nights, what helped most was getting a ramp pillow as well as some half-cylinder pillows and figuring out how to best keep my leg propped up a bit and immobilized while I slept. In particular, I like to set up a couple of the half-cylinder pillows, one under my knee and one a little above my heel. They are memory foam so the leg kind of sinks into it and that keeps your leg from rotating while you're asleep. The ramp pillow was helpful too so find out what works for you.

Once I could sleep on my side again after a couple weeks, I still slept on my back with those pillows about half the time because side sleeping was pretty painful for a while.

These pillows:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QKF7VV8/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_2C9CQ6KP2F92SGN8GQMR

For me if I put any sort of weight on the ground it was unbearable. That lasted for a good 2-3 weeks or so.

For sleep I invested in https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RYNX8B3/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_DWT7EXHEM34HPBWGGWMM which helped kept my hip from moving too much and slept on the side opposite that I had surgery

I looked hard for this pre op and never got up the courage to ask!

I've seen people say they were fine but I bought pads (I usually use "disposable soft discs"). I definitely would not have been able to sue any tampons or discs/cups the first 2 weeks. I'm 4 weeks out now and don't think I could, at least not comfortably.

I would say pads or maybe the underwear. Honestly my period luckily came a week "late" and lasted a day but THE CRAMPS were the worst. I was on opiates, NSAIDS, Tylenol, and aspirin (all prescribed) so I couldn't take anything extra. I used a heating pad on my back while icing the hip and it helped some.

One of my nurses had had the same surgery and recommended this I either use bikini bottoms that tie in the side or underwear that tie for ease of use without bending to remove them. I lived in dresses and those the first 2 weeks (hard to find cotton ones, I ended up getting these off Amazon, a few pairs. I am a size 16 US and they just fit me but were...skimpy... so if you're smaller they'd work and if you're larger probably not) This was the best advice for me tbh. Regular underwear were hard 😅

I have this one, as recommended by a few folks in the Facebook hip groups: https://www.amazon.com/Exerpeutic-Folding-Magnetic-Upright-Exercise/dp/B007595TKU/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=exerpeutic&qid=1624915174&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-3

I still use it at 4mos PO! I did buy an additional gel seat pad to strap on because the giant wide seat on it can irritate if you're on it for a long time, I found.

You could try custom moldable orthotics. You boil them briefly and then stand on them to fit your feet.

These are better than over the counter insoles but won’t cost hundreds like from a podiatrist. You remove shoes insoles and replace with the custom soles.

Soles

This hip kit is a godsend for staying a bit more independent post-op. https://www.amazon.com/RMS-Replacement-Equipment-Recovering-Mobility/dp/B017ME37E2/ref=zg_bs_3775771_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=053X2PN0KPPVZAA2HVHR

(The sponge on a stick in that kit is kinda crappy, but you can get a decent mesh sponge/loofah on a long stick at Walmart for like, $3)

Also get a lightweight backpack, and slippers with good treads.
Get a shower seat.

You may be instructed to have passive movement ONLY on the operative hip/leg for the 1st 3-4weeks. Which means someone needs to pick up your leg for you to get in/out of the shower. Etc. You can cross your ‘good’ leg under the ankle of your operative side to get in/out of the car on your own.

Stock up on at least a week or so’s worth of frozen/easy meals n snacks for recovery.

I’ll add more stuff if I think of it.

Also these are the fabric resistance bands that I use: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Z2JG8HM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Did not have the surgery but this ice/heat pack set up has been great for me. The area is hard to ice or heat well with conventional packs. Best of luck on a speedy recovery!

ActiveWrap Hip Ice Pack Wrap With... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ENX1Z1I?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I have some Rubbermaid ice blankets (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004286IL6/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) that have worked quite well for me. I stick them in the freezer and rotate them in and out as I need them, pretty often throughout the day. Had my six-week follow-up yesterday and the PA said my progress / pain wasn't unusual and that I could up my Aleve dose from 1 tablet to 2, provided I stay under 3 tablets / day. First day I'm trying it while also being better about not doing things I shouldn't be doing (like lying on the floor and picking up hot wheels). Fingers crossed things get better, thanks!