Preparing Your Home: Walkways & Lighting

After your surgery, you may have some difficulty getting around your house. Some things that look fine now, may later become safety hazards.

It’s important to remove throw rugs and cords from the hallways and any areas that you frequently walk through. These loose items may cause you to trip and fall, resulting in an injury that’ll set back your recovery. If you can’t remove the items, it’s best to tape them down or use non-slip pads underneath your rugs. It’s difficult to avoid what you can’t see. Make sure you have good lighting throughout your home.

Replace any bulbs that are burned out. You may want to add night lights in areas you walk through when it’s dark, like the pathway from your bed to your bathroom or kitchen. It’s best to make sure those walkways are clear and very well lit.

Reducing these tripping hazards will help get you on the path to a quicker recovery without setbacks from preventable injuries.