What to wear after hip replacement - advice please!

There is no need to buy anything. Your normal things will be fine.

Applegran I began the hip and knee thread just before my operation 3 years ago because I didn’t know anyone who had had this procedure and was very nervous as I hadn’t had any operations before. It helped enormously to have my questions answered.
We are now 6000 plus posts and counting, so you can’t possibly read through it all. Unless you have a huge amount of spare time.
Just post your questions and they will be answered by our band of experts in the field.

Following advice on this thread I did go on the hips and knees thread, and there too have met kindness and help. But it is such a long thread it's hard to find the specific help I hoped for. Nonetheless, people there too have been kind and helpful.

After my hip ‘op I just wore some trousers with an elastic waist that pulled easily over the covered wound.
Never gave a thought about other clothes and managed fine.
A ‘sock puller oner’is useful as is the high toilet seat.

Applegran check out the ‘official’ hip and knee site under health forum with the dancing girls 👯‍♀️ to guide you,

It’s always a pleasure Applegran. Keep in touch.

Thank you all again. I don't think I've ever asked Gransnetters for help before and it is really heart warming, and helpful practically, to have your responses. I'm grateful.

Don’t think you are in hospital long enough to worry about knickers …. well I wasn’t.

It's twenty years since I had my right hip replaced so can't remember having any problems about what to wear after the op. Luckily it was a lovely spell of warm summer weather, I was probably wearing cotton skirts. High-leg knickers were essential to avoid contact with the wound. It was good to have an excuse (or a reason?) to loll around in the garden. It had never occurred to me to acquire new clothes and luckily they would not have been necessary.

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Sorry about the long link. There are other brands.

I have a couple of dresses which I wore after my op. I like a dress, easy to put on and take off and either no leggings if warm enough or easy to pull on leggings in cold weather.
Good luck with the op.

I was supplied with walking sticks and a grabber but not with a sockaid, recommended on the hip and knee thread and a godsend!

I had a fall and fractured my hip in January '21 and underwent a partial hip replacement. As this was right in the middle of Covid and the middle of winter it really wasn't feasible to ask family to go clothes shopping. I raided my summer wardrobe and found a couple of soft, jersey sundresses so just wore those with a T shirt underneath and/or a cardigan on top. Between these and a couple of pairs of trackie bottoms I was fine. My biggest problem was getting my knickers on! Nothing was bending the way it needed to.

I just wore things I already had. Like dresses which just pulled over the head or skirts with elasticated waists and a top. I didn’t have any problems with dresses or skirts getting in the way of my elbow crutches. But also, in the first few days at home I didn’t bother getting dressed into ‘real’ clothes at all. I’d be surprised if you find you need different knickers.

The only thing I had trouble with was trousers because my leg was very swollen for several weeks and nothing fitted comfortably. Similarly one foot was very swollen and shoes were a problem so I’d make sure you have some kind of wide footwear handy in case you have similar problems.

I wouldn’t worry too much about what to wear really because if you’re anything like me I didn’t have any urge to stray far from home for some weeks (apart from the required walking exercise).

Someone I know said when she had her knees replaced she bought disposable underwear for in hospital. It solved the washing problem, as she has no family to sort that out for her.

Applegran I would recommend dresses or skirts rather than trousers, but you will probably find something in your wardrobe after the op which you can wear. You might just live in a nightie and d.gown fur the first week or so.
I was given sticks which were easier ti manage than crutches which are much longer and never tripped over my dresses.

You will find a long handled shoe horn very useful for all sorts of things, and a litter picker to reach and pick up things. I have seen a combination of both in Aldi which is handy.

You are very welcome to join us on our hip and knee thread, look fir the 👯‍♀️ 👯‍♀️

Thread - not threat!

Thank you for all your advice and good wishes - and Redcar, I had not thought about appropriate knickers and will try to get some. There are some knickers which seem to open and close at the side with velcro. Not sure if these are a good idea, but will try to find out more. As for a loose dress, I read on the hips and knees threat that a dress might get in the way of crutches, so am not sure - but like the idea otherwise.

applegran I had both my hip replacement operations in the winter, so wore loose jogging trousers with elastic waists. I should think a loose dress would be fine, or, if very hot, loose shorts with elastic waists. I wore big knickers too but had to snip a seam where the elastic round the leg met the side seam! Your legs may be swollen after the operation so clothes need to be loose. I hope all goes well for you.

I had loose leg trousers plus I got some pants that were easy to put on . After a few days you will be fine... See Hip and Knee thread that's invaluable.

A friend has just (3 weeks in) had her second hip replacement surgery, she is currently wearing PJs and lose leisure wear trousers

Joggers with elasticated waists are everywhere.

Thank you all - I am grateful for your kind and helpful responses and will keep looking!

Hopefully the weather would be warmer so maybe it will be ok for a nice loose dress. otherwise you can get light summer trousers which might be okay good luck

I'm sure other hips and knees folk will be along with advice. You might find the dedicated 'hips and knees' thread useful and supportive, too.

It seems a bit extravagant to buy new clothes for what might only be a few weeks post op. Have you nothing suitable already? Are you thinking of this because you think that the operations site might be affected by what you wear, or for ease of dressing with a leg that does quite do what it's asked to do for a while😁

I very rarely wear skirts or dresses, I wore loose fitting trousers post op. The operation site is well covered with a dressing so it won't be irritated by loose fitting clothing.

If ease of dressing is what you had in mind I had a 'grabber' which helped a lot in pulling on trousers (and putting on knickers.. ) If you have a husband he could come in useful, too... I already had a grabber, but if you don't, you may well be given one on discharge from hospital.

My op was last August, warm weather so I went sockless for a while. By the time I needed them I could get them on by myself. If you want to wear socks you can get a nifty gadget to make putting them on easy. I'm sure the others will tell you about it.

All the best your forthcoming life changing operation

I'm sure lots of advice will come along soon but in the meantime, have a look at the Hips and Knees thread. Also to be found in Health.
Best wishes for your surgery.