Making everyday tasks easier

Description

As the pain from your hip arthritis becomes worse, keeping up with everyday activities may become more difficult or painful.

Sometimes making changes around the home will take some stress off your hip and relieve some of the pain.

Using a simple cane in the hand on side opposite your painful hip may make walking much easier and less painful. If worse, you may need a rolling walker that will allow you to get around easier.

Easy changes for your home

Make sure you can reach everything you need without getting on your tiptoes or bending down low.

Keep clothes that you wear a lot in drawers and shelves that are between waist and shoulder level.
Store food in cupboards and drawers that are between waist and shoulder level.

Keep important items handy. You can wear a small fanny or waist pack in order to have a portable phone, your wallet, and your keys with you.

Install automatic light switches.

If going up and down the stairs is hard:

Make sure everything you need is on the same floor where you spend most of your day.
Have a bathroom or a portable commode on the same floor where you spend most of your day.
Set up your bed on the main floor.

Other types of help

Find someone to help with housecleaning, taking out the garbage, gardening, and other household activities or tasks.

Ask someone to shop for you, or have your food delivered.

Check your local pharmacy or medical supply store for different aids that can help with reaching, getting dressed, using the toilet, and other activities. Look for these aids:

Raised toilet seat
Shower chair
Shower sponge with a long handle
Shoehorn with a long handle
Sock-aid to help you put on your socks
Reacher to help you pick up things from the floor

Ask about having grab bars installed on the walls by the toilet, shower or bath, or elsewhere in your home.

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Review Date: 12/31/2018

Reviewed By: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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