After hip or knee replacement surgery, most surgeons and occupational therapists send you home with clear instructions: do not bend past 90 degrees for the next 6 to 12 weeks. That single restriction makes a reacher grabber essential. It's one of the first pieces of equipment prescribed because it directly addresses the riskiest everyday movements during your recovery at home.
Key takeaways
- Bending past 90 degrees after hip or knee surgery risks dislocating or straining the new joint — a reacher removes the need to bend at all.
- An 81 cm reacher is the recommended length for post-surgery use — long enough to reach the floor while standing upright without bending forward.
- Look for rubber-padded jaws, a lightweight aluminium shaft, and a comfortable handle.
- Many people receive a reacher through their hospital OT; if not, it's generally claimable under NDIS Consumables.
- Most people use one for 6 to 12 weeks during recovery, and many continue long-term.
In this article
- Why a reacher grabber matters after joint surgery
- What to look for when buying post-surgery
- Funding options and how long you will need it
Why a reacher grabber matters after joint surgery
The new joint is at its most vulnerable during the first weeks after surgery. Bending to pick something up off the floor, pulling on socks, or leaning to reach a low shelf can put enough stress on the replacement to cause dislocation or damage the surrounding tissues. Your surgeon or physio will specify a movement restriction — typically 90 degrees of hip flexion — and a reacher is what lets you stay within that limit without needing help for every small task.
The tasks a reacher makes possible during recovery include:
- Picking up dropped items from the floor without bending
- Pulling up pants, underwear, or nightwear from a seated position
- Reaching for items on low shelves or in the back of cupboards
- Grabbing the TV remote, phone, or a book without getting up
- Retrieving shoes and slippers without forward bending
Many hospital occupational therapists include a reacher in the discharge kit sent home with joint replacement patients. If yours did not, or if you need one ahead of your admission date, the next section covers exactly what to look for.
What to look for when buying post-surgery
Not every reacher grabber suits post-surgical recovery. These four features matter more during this period than at any other time.
Length: 81 cm is the right choice
The 66 cm reacher that suits general home use isn't long enough for floor-level recovery tasks while keeping your hip straight. The 81 cm length lets you reach the floor without bending forward at all. It's the length most OTs recommend for hip and knee recovery, and the one worth buying if you're preparing ahead of your discharge date.
Lightweight aluminium shaft
After surgery, your arm strength and grip can be reduced — especially during the first days home. A lightweight aluminium shaft makes a real difference for daily use during this period. You're not fighting the tool's weight while also managing discomfort and fatigue. Steel-shafted models are heavier and better suited to industrial or garden use, not recovery.
Rubber-padded jaws
The most common post-surgery use is pulling up clothing — socks, underwear, pants — from the floor while seated. This requires a jaw that grips soft fabric reliably. Rubber-padded jaws handle this well. Suction-cup or hard plastic jaws won't grip fabric consistently, which gets frustrating quickly for this specific job.
Ergonomic handle
Grip strength is often reduced after anaesthesia and during the first weeks of recovery. A pistol-grip handle with a foam or rubber wrap makes the reacher easier to operate without extra hand strain. Post-surgery, this shifts from a comfort preference to a real necessity.
The reacher works alongside a sock aid and a long-handled shoehorn as the standard post-surgery dressing kit. Between them, they handle the main tasks that require forward bending during those first weeks. Browse our dressing aids range for the complete kit.
Funding options and how long you will need it
Most post-surgery patients use a reacher for 6 to 12 weeks — the standard recovery period before movement restrictions are fully lifted. Many people continue using one long-term because of how useful it becomes for everyday independence well beyond recovery.
If you're an NDIS participant, a reacher grabber is generally claimable under the Consumables support category. This covers low-cost daily living items and doesn't require approval from your planner in most cases. For eligible veterans, the Department of Veterans' Affairs Rehabilitation Appliances Program (RAP) also commonly covers reachers.
When timing matters, we hold stock of our most popular post-surgery lengths and dispatch the same business day for orders placed before 2 pm. Browse our full long-handled reacher range. Because independence matters — especially during recovery.