Post op and living alone with no outside help, how am I to get these things off my legs for an hour every day, and then put them on again without breaking the 90 degree rule. Can't expect Social Services or the District Nurse to wait arond for an hour to put them on again. I can probably manage thr left oen. but not the one that will have the THR?
Get yourself a sock putter onner. Simples
Yes, anyone on their own WILL need a sock aid.
So glad I got one, saves me having to beg my wife to help me every morning.
I get mine off with a long handled shoe horn - slip it inside the sock top, and keep pushing it down, bit by bit. Once you have got it over the heel, it's easy.
Graham - 🚀💃
I didn't have TEDS told surgeon I lived alone and he was happy with blood thinners. 6 months on I'm in good shape, not using TEDS didn't hinder my recovery
If you cant get outside help from friends or family then a sock aid may help but it also depends on your surgeon as they dont all advocate using TEDS.
You can leave them on for up to 3 days so you may be able to get a carer to come in every 3 days?
But before you worry about how you will put them on why dont you check with your consultant first to see if they require you to use them.
Linnet x
Hah, the sock putter onner, never really got the hang of it and once fell asleep in the middle of getting a sock on. I didn't have Ted's, not everyone does, but your grabber is invaluable in the first few weeks. Get two and you can get things on and off. I asked occupational health for two and they supplied them along with the rest of my hip contraptions!
Stick clips were the best thing I got at £2. I have them on my stick, and my grabber. Stops them falling to the ground.
Sock aid takes some practice.
Graham - 🚀💃
I am a lady of a certain age and was just given blood thinners, no socks thank goodness. Could have been something to do with the fact that I had broken my wrist as well as hip, and am on my own, so even eating was a major task! But would be interested to know whether there is a general policy, or whether its up to individual surgeons, as so many people seem to have different experiences.
Even with all your limbs healthy they seem a nightmare to put on and take off.
I had right hip replacement 12/29/15. The first week is so hard. I didn't even bother taking mine off until the night I took a shower before my 10 day check up. When I saw the doc the next day and asked about them, he told me I could quit wearing the left one and wear the right one only during the day if I had swelling. I never had any swelling, so I took it off the next day. I hated those things. Of course everyone is different and you will want to adhere to what your doctor says.
Ask at your consultation what measures the surgeon uses to prevent DVT's. You may well find that he does not use TEDs but either oral anticoagulants or the self administered daily abdominal injections
I thought they were "standard issue!" I will look into the sock "putter onners" that Colin has suggested, whatever they are.... Not so simple when I have no idea where to go and get them! Will make a note to ask the surgeon on Monday about these things. They sound dreadful.
Unfortunately, my family are deceased, Daughter in Bath doesn't drive, so no help there, and time demanding job. Friends, mostly in San Francisco, and all tied up with their own issues. Not much in the way of help around here. It's an ever changing population, young professionals, and I couldn't ask them to do something so intimate, it would not be appropriate to the relationships.
I can see that I have a lot of work to do, mostly research, by the look of it.
That's interesting. I am 74, but in quite good shape for my age. But putting on those writeched socks would be impossible without some sort of implement or outside help, which I do not have. Obviously cannot bend as that would break the 90 degree rule.
Have a look online and type in something like Complete Care. I also am on my own now and discovered a lot of useful aid items from a site with an almost similiar name. They dispatched very quickly and were reasonably priced.
It does vary so from one person tothe next and one surgeonnn to the next. I guess it depends on the patient's health, etc., as to whether or not they will have wear the much hated things! My legs and ankles do not swell, but what the operated leg will do post op is aother matter entirely. In general when legs and ankles swell, you are advised to put your legs up hight than your heart, but this would break the 90 degree rule, unless you had some sort of contraption to use so that you were almost doing and hand stand....!
Great! Many thanks Geraldine. That is very helpful, will do. I have had a look at Lloyds for other contraptions, but new things come up almost every day, that I had not thought about!
I went to Amazon - search for "Motionperformance Essentials Mobility Easy Pull Sock and Stocking Aid"
Graham - 🚀💃
Cost was £7.99
Many thanks, Maggie. Those two options sound a better course of action for me. Without outside help, it would be difficult, and the TEDs are just one example.
I am recovering from a ten year long campaign of stalking, anti social behaviour, abuse, assault and booby trapping on the part of a couple half my age. Fortunately, due to intelligence that I provided the police, they now have criminal records. No idea what their problem was, but it was chalk and cheese. For example, they played karaoke all the time, I play piano, and listen to opera, classical and jazz, etc. My friend, who visits from Oxford is an architect, and so we talk about design, and they have been caught listening to our conversation whilst we are sitting on the patio. Needless to say, I am still very traumatised, and now the trauma of facing major surgery! Difficult to maintain friendships with all that going on!
Many thanks, Graham. I am due to see the consultant on Monday, and Maggie has suggested that I ask him what he recommends. I am becoming anxious as I am very vulnerable, as outlined to Maggie. Being on crutches, etc., is not the ideal scenario as booby trapping may occur.
You will have your leg elevated a lot. If you're on your back, having your legs supported by pillows will not even come close to breaking the 90 degree rule.
As for TEDs, The sock assists are great. I recommend getting them before your operation and practice using them so it isn't so awkward when the time comes for you to need them.
I live alone, and got along okay after the first week fine, just by going through the home before my op and pretending the hip had the restrictions.. seeing what I could do and what had to be moved higher/lower etc.
Rob.