What do you need at home after a hip fracture? Before discharge, set up a walker, a raised toilet seat or toilet rails, a shower chair or tub transfer bench, a reacher and sock aid, and a lit, clear path from the bed to the bathroom. What else you need depends on how the hip was repaired, because some repairs come with hip precautions and some do not. Ask the surgical team which repair was done before you buy anything else.
A hip fracture does not come with a surgery date. One day everything is fine, and the next you are in a hospital hallway trying to figure out what happens now. If you are reading this at 11pm with a phone in your hand, you are not behind. Much of what makes the first weeks home safe can be ordered while you or your person is still in the hospital or in rehab, and we will walk you through it.
Why hip fracture recovery is different from a hip replacement
A lot of hip advice online is written for planned hip replacements. That person had weeks to prepare, shop, and practice. A hip fracture is different in three ways that change what you need at home.
- There is no time to plan. The equipment has to be chosen and delivered in the few days between surgery and discharge.
- The repair type decides the rules. A fracture can be fixed with pins, screws, a rod, or a partial or total hip replacement. Those repairs come with different instructions.
- A fall often caused it. The home has to be ready for recovery and set up so the next fall does not happen.
Ask these questions before discharge
These five answers decide almost everything on the equipment list. Write them down, because discharge conversations move fast.
- What kind of repair was done? Pinning or screws, a rod or nail, a partial hip replacement (hemiarthroplasty), or a total hip replacement.
- Are there hip precautions? If yes, ask for the exact list in writing and how many weeks they last.
- What is the weight bearing status? Many people are allowed to put full weight on the leg right away. Some are not. This changes which walker or wheelchair makes sense.
- Is the plan home, or rehab first? Many people go to inpatient rehab or a skilled nursing facility before home. That buys you time to get the house ready.
- Will home health PT and OT come to the house? If so, ask them to look at the bathroom on the first visit.
Hip precautions: who has them and who does not
Hip precautions are movement limits that protect a new hip joint from dislocating. They are common after a partial or total hip replacement. After a fracture repaired with pins, screws, or a rod, there is no new joint to dislocate, so many people do not get these precautions. Your surgeon makes the call, so follow the written list you are given, not a list from the internet.
When precautions do apply, they often include not bending the hip past 90 degrees, not crossing the legs, and not twisting the leg inward. That is when the "no bending" equipment matters most:
- A raised toilet seat with handles so the hip stays above the knee when sitting down
- A reacher for anything on the floor
- A sock aid and a long handled shoe aid. Our guide on how to use a sock aid after hip surgery shows the technique.
- A long handled sponge for washing legs and feet
- A leg lifter for getting the leg in and out of bed
If the repair has no precautions, these tools are still helpful in the first weeks, when bending is painful, but they are not required in the same way. That can save you money.
The first week home: what to have ready
Getting around
Plan on a walker. A front wheeled walker is the usual starting point after a hip fracture, because it is steadier than a cane and easier to push than a standard walker. A walker bag lets you carry a phone, water, and glasses without letting go. Wait on a rollator until therapy says the balance is there for it.
The bathroom
The bathroom is where we see the most trouble in the first weeks home. Plan for three things:
- The toilet. A raised seat with handles or toilet rails make standing up safer.
- The shower or tub. For a walk in shower, use a shower chair with back and arms. For a tub, use a tub transfer bench so you sit down outside the tub and slide over instead of stepping in. Deep or clawfoot tubs need an extra tall tub transfer bench.
- Something to hold. A handheld shower head lets you wash while seated. Grab bars help when they are installed into studs, but do not wait on installation to bring someone home.
The bedroom and nighttime
Nighttime bathroom trips are a common setup for another fall: someone is groggy, it is dark, and they are in a hurry. Put motion sensor night lights along the path from the bed to the bathroom. A bed rail with a built in light gives a handhold for sitting up and lights the floor at the same time. If the bathroom is far or down a hallway, a bedside commode for the first few weeks can take the riskiest trip off the table.
Living space
Clear a wide path from the front door to the bed, the bathroom, and the chair your person will spend the day in. Remove throw rugs and loose cords. Choose a firm chair with arms that is high enough to stand up from easily. Put the phone, remote, water, and medications within reach of that chair.
Preventing the next fall
Recovery is about more than healing the bone. It is also about figuring out why the fall happened. Ask these questions during the hospital stay or at the first follow up appointment:
- Bone health. Ask the doctor whether an osteoporosis evaluation or treatment makes sense.
- Medications. Ask the doctor or pharmacist to review medications that can cause dizziness or sleepiness.
- Vision and footwear. Check that glasses are current and that shoes close in the back and have a grippy sole. Avoid slippers, and use gripper socks only for short trips around the house.
- The house itself. Stairs, entryways, and bathrooms often need more than equipment. Our coming home from the hospital guide walks through the house room by room.
If you are the one coordinating care from a distance
Many people helping after a hip fracture are working full time, raising kids, or living in another city. You do not have to do this alone or guess. Order the essentials to the house while your person is still in the hospital or rehab, and ask a neighbor or friend to unbox and set them up. Ask the discharge planner to send home health orders before discharge day. If you want someone to look at the actual house, you can find an occupational therapist near you or get help from an OT through a virtual visit.
Not sure where to start? Just ask SAMIE, our clinically trained AI assistant, to build a plan from the repair type and the layout of the home. Or shop the full hip fracture recovery collection.
Frequently asked questions about hip fracture recovery at home
Will there be hip precautions after a hip fracture?
It depends on how the hip was repaired. Precautions are common after a partial or total hip replacement, because the new joint can dislocate. Many repairs that use pins, screws, or a rod do not come with hip precautions. Your surgeon decides, so ask for the list in writing before discharge.
How soon can someone walk after hip fracture surgery?
Many people start walking with a walker and a therapist the day after surgery. Getting up early is a big part of recovery. How much weight the leg can take depends on the fracture and the repair. Some people may put full weight on it right away, and others have limits for a few weeks.
Do you go home or to rehab after hip fracture surgery?
It depends on strength, home setup, and help at home, and many people spend time in inpatient rehab or skilled nursing first. Others go straight home with home health therapy. Either way, use that time to get the equipment in place before the move home.
How long does it take to recover from a broken hip?
Expect months, not weeks. The bone heals over the first few months, but strength, balance, and confidence often take longer to return. How active and healthy someone was before the fall makes a big difference, and steady therapy at home helps.
Does Medicare pay for equipment after a hip fracture?
Medicare often covers a walker or wheelchair when a doctor prescribes it, but it usually does not cover bathroom items like raised toilet seats, shower chairs, or tub transfer benches. Much of that equipment is HSA and FSA eligible. Our payment options page explains other ways to pay.
How can you prevent another fall after a hip fracture?
Start with the nighttime path to the bathroom, the height of the toilet, and getting in and out of the shower. Those are the moments we see cause the most falls in the first weeks home. Then ask the doctor about bone health and a medication review, and remove rugs and cords from walkways.
