11 Best Gifts for Knee Replacement Patients

drawing of three knees with text overlay " what are the best gifts for knee replacement patients?"

Knee replacement surgery (ACL) is not easy, and neither is the recovery.  Sometimes when the joint pain is bad, it’s the only option.  If you have a loved one going through the procedure, you want to do want ever you can to help them feel better.

A “Get Well Soon” card is thoughtful, but if you want to do more, I have some ideas of knee surgery gifts for people with knee problems or post surgery pain.  Check out these suggestions for gifts for knee replacement patients.

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Best Gifts for People Who Have Had Knee Replacements

Knee replacement surgery is painful and the recovery is difficult.  When you are shopping for ACL surgery gifts for someone, you want something that will aid in their recovery, reduce their knee pain, or provide a pleasant distraction.  This list contains after knee surgery ideas suitable for all budgets.

RELATED: Best Gifts for Someone with Chronic Pain

Stationary Bike

Most exercises will be off-limits for awhile after knee replacement surgery.  Biking is one of the first exercises the patient will be able to do because it does not put pressure on the knees.  If they don’t already have a bike, they will want one so that they can get some exercise at home.

For a knee replacement patient, it’s best to start off slow using a recumbent bike because it is easiest on the knees.  This foldable stationary bike also gives the option to ride in an upright position.  It has 8 resistance levels and built-in arm resistance bands to give an upper body workout at the same time.

See more recumbent bike options here.

Wedge Pillow

After knee surgery, it’s important to elevate the leg to reduce swelling and help prevent blood clots.  It can also speed up the healing process.  The one catch is that it doesn’t work if the person is lying on their side or stomach.

With this leg wedge pillow it’s possible to elevate both legs together, perfect to keep in line with the body and offer some pain relief.  It’s made with high-density memory foam that provides comfortable support and will maintain its shape for long term use.

Even after fully recovering from the surgery, this wedge pillow can be used while watching TV, reading, relaxing after a long tiring day, even a post-pregnancy pillow.  It has dual handles to make it easy to carry and comes with a soft machine washable cover for easy cleaning.

See more wedge pillow options here.

Crutch Pouch

For several weeks after replacement surgery, the patient will need to rely on crutches.  They won’t have any hands free to hold personal belongings and a purse draped over the shoulder will get it the way.

A crutch pouch solves that problem.  Unlike a handbag, this pouch will not interfere with handgrips and normal crutch use.  It has dual pockets to carry loose items such as a wallet, keys, smartphones, water bottle and more.  The pouch is water resistant so it will keep everything inside dry and safe.  The versatile design is easy to install on any standard adult or youth crutches.

Check out more crutch pouch options here.

Knee Exerciser

It takes awhile to recover from knee surgery.  Physical therapy is required, but exercises need to be done at home too.  While there are moves that use body weight as resistance, there are tools that can help too.

This knee exerciser is an easy to use pulley device that recovering knee surgery patients can use to do extension and flexion exercises independently at home in between physical therapy visits. It’s an affordable gift that will help improve their range of motion and speed up their recovery process. It’s a great gift idea that is practical and thoughtful.

See more knee exerciser options here.

Icing Aides

Cold therapy can help recovering patients with swelling and pain after knee replacement surgery.  This innovative icing aide adds compression to ensure there is proper contact between the ice gel pack and the knee.  The level of compression is controlled by the air pump.

It is specifically designed to fit the knee and has Velcro straps that keep the cold therapy wrap in place so you can move around and do other things. The wrap can used on the left or right knee.

It comes with an extra ice pack so one will always be cold. The ice gel packs are reusable, leak-proof, and contain non-toxic gel.

See more knee icing options here.

Handheld Massager

While it may not be a good idea to massage the knee, massaging the thigh and hamstring muscles a few weeks after the surgery can help with inflammation and spasms. A handheld massager is just the tool for the job.

It’s best to start off slow, with a short gentle massage.  This Mighty Bliss massager comes with different heads for different massage needs.  It’s portable and lightweight so easy to take anywhere.  The massager can also be used on other parts of the body. This gift s small so would make a great gift basket idea.

See more handheld massager options here.

Massage Ball

A massage ball is an affordable and effective self-massage tool.  The user controls the pressure and can focus in on small areas that need relief.  It can be used on many parts of the body.

This Cryosphere ball combines cold therapy with myofascial release.  It’s like a icy massage without any drips.  After a few sessions, the user will notice reduced inflammation and improved circulation.

See more massage ball options here.

Essential Oils

Essential oils can work wonders, including helping reduce inflammation which can help relieve pain from knee replacement surgery.   Some essential oils can also help cheer up those that might have post-surgery blues.

This essential oil gift set includes a diffuser made of BPA free plastic with has a 300 ml capacity and uses state of the art wave diffusion technology to atomize essential oils.  There are 7 ambient light modes with two intensity settings for 14 different light combinations.  It also has 4 timer settings and a convenient auto shutoff feature for low water levels.

In addition to the diffuser, it also comes with 10 popular essential oils: lavender, eucalyptus, tea tree, orange, peppermint, lemongrass, jasmine, nutmeg, clove, and spearmint oils.  All oils are therapeutic grade and come in amber 10ml jars to protect from sun degradation.

These are countless ways these essential oils can be used besides diffusing, but a few of our favorites are:

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Essential Oil Foot Soak

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Essential Oil Bath Salts<p “=””>It’s also easy to use essential oils in the shower.  Just be sure to store the essential oils properly to maximize the shelf life. <p “=””>You could use essential oils to create a customized post knee surgery care package or just buy a gift set.  See more essential oils gift set options here.

Microwaveable Herbal Heat Bag

Once the inflammation and pain in and around the knee has largely subsided, moist heat can help alleviate stiffness and offer some knee pain relief. Microwaved herbal bags work well and are often infused with aromatherapy (i.e. lavender) that can also help anyone relax.

This microwaveable bag uses therapeutic clay beads inside so it will not attract mold or mild, will stay odor free, and will not dry out or dissolve after many uses. It can be used hot or cold and lasts for about 30 minutes each time.

A handy fabric drawstring storage bag made from durable microfiber fabric comes with the heat pack.  It’s perfect for storing the therapy pack or taking it on travels.

See more microwaveable heat packs options to buy or learn how to make your own microwaveable rice heat bag.

Books

Books are always a great gift.  There are so many to choose from that you can find one that works for anyone’s taste.  In this situation, you could choose a book that is full of information about recovering from knee surgery.

Alternatively, you could get something mindless to keep them entertained as they rest.  Adult coloring books or puzzle books would also be appreciated.

You could also consider gifting an Audible subscription.  Some people prefer listening to audiobooks to reading.  Get more information about Audible here.

Check out more book options here.

Funny T-Shirt

If the patient has a good sense of humor and needs a laugh, they would probably appreciate a funny t-shirt to mark the occasion.  It could also be a great conversation starter.  Every time they wear it they will think of you. 

There’s all sorts of gifts for someone having knee surgery – something special after such surgery could be just what the doctor ordered!

Read Next: 8 Basic Acupressure Mat Positions for Total Body Relaxation and How to Warm Up Oil for Massage

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Elena Curtis