What to Buy Before Your Knee Replacement: The Complete Pre-Surgery Checklist
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Most people spend a lot of time thinking about the surgery itself and not much time thinking about what comes after it. That is understandable. But the first 48 hours at home after a knee replacement are among the most physically demanding of the entire recovery, and they arrive at a moment when you are in pain, on medication, and not well-positioned to make good decisions about what you need.
The answer is to sort it out before you go in. This is a practical list of what to have ready.
Movement aids
Your hospital will provide a walking frame for discharge. What most people are not told is that crutches are often more practical than a frame once you are past the first day or two, particularly for navigating narrow spaces or doorways. Ask your physio what they recommend for your specific situation and have both options available if possible.
A long-handled grabber is worth having. Bending to pick things up off the floor is not straightforward in the first few weeks, and you will need it more than you expect.
Home setup
Go through your home before surgery and remove anything you could trip on. Rugs, extension cords, pet toys and anything else on the floor at ankle height is a hazard when you are moving slowly with a walking frame. Do this before you go in, not when you get home.
Set up your main recovery space before you leave. A firm chair that is easy to get in and out of is important. Low sofas are difficult and should be avoided in the early weeks. If your usual chair is too low, a chair riser or firm cushions will help. Have a small table or tray nearby so you can reach everything you need without getting up repeatedly.
If your bedroom is upstairs and stairs are going to be a challenge in the first few days, consider setting up a temporary sleep arrangement on the ground floor for the first week.
Practical items
Have several days of meals prepared or delivery options sorted in advance. Cooking while managing a walking frame and significant pain is harder than it sounds, and the last thing you need is to be standing at a bench for 20 minutes on day two.
Loose clothing that is easy to get on and off matters more than people realise. Anything with tight waistbands or that requires significant bending to put on will be difficult. Shorts with an elastic waist, loose trackpants, and slip-on shoes or sandals are the practical choices.
A shower stool and a non-slip mat could be worth having. Standing in the shower for any length of time is tiring in the early post-surgical phase, and the bathroom is a high-risk area for falls, so have a think about if that might help.
Post-surgical swelling peaks at around 72 hours after a knee replacement. What happens in that window has a significant effect on your early range of motion and pain levels, both of which influence your longer-term outcome. Cold compression directly after surgery reduces blood flow to the joint, limits the inflammatory response, and helps clear the fluid accumulation that drives swelling and pain.
Ice packs are better than nothing, but they lose temperature quickly, require you to get up and replace them, and apply no compression. A cold compression kit set up and ready at home means you can use it correctly and consistently from the moment you arrive back, without any effort.
Have it out, with ice in the freezer, before you leave for the hospital.
Medication
Your surgeon will prescribe pain medication. Fill the prescription before your surgery date so it is waiting at home when you need it. Also have paracetamol available, which is often used alongside prescription pain relief in the first week. Ask your surgical team exactly what the post-operative medication plan is and write it down. Following it consistently matters more than most people expect.
A final note on timing
None of this takes long to sort out, but it does need to happen before surgery, not after. The window between receiving your surgery date and your admission date is when to get this done. One good afternoon of preparation removes a significant amount of stress and physical difficulty from the days that follow.
We talk to people all the time who wish they had ordered their Cold Compression Kit, well before their surgery. Suddenly they're at home, in pain and all they want is us to express ship it. Avoid that situation and get it organised before you desperately need it.