Every year, approximately 1 million Americans have hip or knee replacement surgery. Fortunately, joint replacement surgery has advanced significantly. What used to be a week-long hospital stay and several months of recovery is now frequently performed as an outpatient procedure, with patients up and walking with crutches just hours after the procedure.
Even though the procedure may appear to be routine, those undergoing this type of replacement may still experience mobility restrictions with their new joints. You might be surprised at how many tasks become difficult when you are unable to lift your leg or bend and reach in certain ways. I had my hip replaced in October 2022 and can attest to many of these difficulties firsthand.
Before my surgery, a friend recommended that I get a hip kit to help with recovery. I had no idea these kits existed at the time and underestimated how limited my mobility would be. When my doctor told me I’d be walking the next day and fully recovered in four weeks, I was definitely underestimating the operation’s short-term impact.
After all, this prognosis was far better than my previous hip surgeries, nearly 20 years ago, which had me out of commission for six to twelve months at a time. Fortunately, after my surgery, I had the RMS Premium Hip and Knee Replacement Kit waiting for me at home.
What exactly is a hip kit?
A hip kit contains a variety of tools to assist you with tasks that you will most likely be unable to perform while recovering from joint surgery. This includes dressing, getting in and out of bed, and picking up objects from the floor. Everyday manoeuvres like these may become difficult, if not impossible, to perform on your own for a time. To address the issue, the RMS Premium 7-piece Hip/Knee Replacement Kit includes:
19″ grabber with a rotating head that rotates 90 degrees
Leg lifter strap 32″ grabber with a 90 degree rotating head
The dressing stick
Sock help
horn for shoes
Bath sponge with long handle
The following are my thoughts on the RMS Premium Hip and Knee Replacement Kit:
The leg lifter was critical.
I returned home four hours after waking up from surgery and discovered I couldn’t lift my leg. The leg lifter strap included in this kit was critical in allowing me to get in and out of bed on my own for the first week while I rebuilt muscle strength in my leg.
Grabbers that are useful
Bending forward is one of the most long-lasting restrictions associated with hip replacement surgery. Picking up objects off the floor or getting dressed without assistance is now dangerous until your doctor clears you.
The RMS Premium Hip and Knee Replacement Kit includes two different length grabbers with rotating heads that I found useful for picking things up off the floor without having to constantly ask my wife for help.
Dressing was no longer a chore.
A seemingly simple task that many of us take for granted, such as getting dressed, becomes much more difficult to complete when you are unable to reach your feet. The dressing stick, sock aid, and shoe horn all help with independence. Even after the mobility restrictions were lifted, I found it difficult to lift my operated leg up to put socks or shoes on for about eight weeks. Even at that point, I found myself needing to use the sock aid and shoe horn on occasion.
What I find objectionable about the RMS Premium Hip and Knee Replacement Kit
There is a learning curve with the dressing stick.
The RMS Hip Kit has few flaws, but the dressing stick does take some getting used to. Its rubber hooks can get caught on your clothing when you’re trying to remove the stick, but I got better at avoiding this the more I used it.
Sock aid may not be available everywhere.
Some people may find the sock aid too small. My size-nine foot fit snugly in the sock aid, but larger feet might find the plastic aid too narrow. Having said that, I was astounded by how well the sock aid worked. You must, however, ensure that the entire sock is placed on it to ensure that the sock fits comfortably and completely. My first attempt was unsuccessful because I was concerned about stretching the sock out, but like the dressing stick, once I got used to it, it works well and is necessary for getting dressed without the assistance of someone else.
Is it worthwhile to purchase the RMS Premium Hip and Knee Replacement Kit?
Surgery recovery is unpleasant and painful, and you will most likely be unable to perform basic tasks on your own. Maintaining a positive attitude is essential for a successful recovery, and the loss of independence can be very discouraging. The RMS Hip Kit gives those recovering from surgery, injury, or long-term limited mobility some strong assurances. This kit was extremely beneficial to me during my recovery from hip replacement surgery, and I would recommend it to anyone undergoing a hip replacement or similar procedure.
