Published 25 September 2026
We only recommend products we think are worth it. Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through one we earn a commission from Amazon, at no extra cost to you, and as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It never changes which products we pick or how we rank them. This is not medical advice. Every movement rule on this page is subordinate to what your surgical team tells you.
Short answer. After a hip replacement you need tools that keep your hands off the floor and your hips above your knees: a raised toilet seat or frame, a sock aid, a long shoe horn, a reacher and a leg lifter. A bundled hip kit covers most of it for £30 to £40 and is the rare bundle that is actually good value. Do not buy anything until you know what the hospital is supplying free.
First: what the NHS supplies
Most hip patients in the UK are assessed by an occupational therapist before discharge. Depending on the trust, the community equipment service may loan you a raised toilet seat, a toilet frame, a perching stool and sometimes a chair raiser, free. The small hand tools are the bits you commonly have to buy. Ask on the pre-op ward round exactly what is coming and buy only the rest. Our discharge planning guide and our hospital discharge kit page cover the general case; this page is the hip-specific version.
Some surgical teams still give hip precautions, typically avoiding bending past 90 degrees, crossing legs, or twisting on the operated side for a period they set. Others have relaxed them. The equipment below assumes the stricter version, because it is cheap and it also just makes the first weeks easier.
The main options compared
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The Aidapt perching stool publishes a 170 kg maximum user weight. The raised toilet seat and the toilet frame publish no limit on their Amazon listings; if the user is above roughly 15 stone, get the figure from the seller in writing first, or buy from our raised toilet seats guide or toilet frames guide, where limits are listed.
The cheaper bundle
Fewer pieces than the 7-in-1, and fine if the NHS has covered your bathroom.
| Photo | Title | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Piece Hip Replacement Recovery Kit for Elderly Patients and Knee and Back Surgery with Gripper, Sock Aid, Leg Lifter, Shoe Puller, | £28.99 |
|
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The individual tools
Long shoe horn
Shoes without bending. Metal lasts; the plastic ones in bundles crack at the neck.
| Photo | Title | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal Shoe Horn - Extra Long 16.5" Horns for Men, Women, Kids & Seniors | £6.99 |
|
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Sock aid
Socks without bending past the hip. Fails very swollen feet and compression stockings; for stockings a rigid stocking aid is the right tool, see our sock aid guide.
| Photo | Title | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sock Aid Tool for Putting Socks Easy On and Off for Elderly, Disabled, Pregnant, Diabetics - Pulling Assist Device - Sock Helper (Blue) | £5.35 |
|
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Hip ice pack
Only if your team recommends ice. It is standard in many protocols, but follow yours.
| Photo | Title | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magic Gel Hip Ice Pack Wrap - Reusable Cold Pack for Hip Bursitis, Hip Replacement Surgery and Hip Flexor Pain. Hip ice wrap for Inflammation, Swelling and Hip Pain Relief | £16.99 |
|
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How to choose
- Start from the free NHS list, then buy the gaps. Usually that means the hand tools, not the furniture.
- The bundled kit wins if you need four or more of its pieces.
- Anything you will sit on or push up from needs a published weight limit.
- Buy before the operation. The first 48 hours home are the worst time to wait for a courier.
- The kits are generic imports, lighter-duty than branded equivalents. Fine for a 12 week recovery; for permanent use, buy the pieces individually.
Amazon vs specialist and VAT relief
A hip replacement recovery usually qualifies you for VAT relief on eligible items bought from specialist retailers, which knocks a sixth off their price. Amazon generally cannot apply relief at checkout. On the hand tools Amazon is usually cheaper anyway; on the perching stool and toilet furniture the gap narrows or reverses once relief applies, so price both. See which retailers we checked for VAT relief, our perching stools guide and our Amazon vs specialist price check.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need at home after a hip replacement?
A way to keep hips above knees when sitting, tools to dress without bending, a leg lifter for bed, and somewhere to perch in the kitchen. Most of it is under £15 an item.
Does the NHS give you a raised toilet seat after hip surgery?
Very often yes, on loan, after an occupational therapy assessment. Ask before you buy one.
How long do you need the equipment for?
Until your surgical team lifts your movement restrictions, commonly somewhere in the 6 to 12 week range. The hand tools tend to stay useful for longer.
Are hip kits worth buying?
If you need four or more of the pieces, yes. They are one of the few bundles on Amazon that price out cheaper than the parts.
Can I claim VAT relief on hip replacement equipment?
On eligible items from retailers that process the declaration, yes, if the equipment is for personal use because of the condition. Amazon usually cannot do it at checkout.
What height raised toilet seat do I need?
Enough that your hips sit level with or above your knees. Four inches suits most average-height adults, but taller people may need more, and a frame with adjustable feet gives you room to fine-tune.
Something on this page looks wrong to you?
Tell us and we will correct it. Email hello@reviewmobility.co.uk.
Published 25 September 2026