Recovery kit · Updated August 2026
The Crutch Recovery Kit
A hospital sends you home with crutches and a fitting. It does not send you home with a way to carry a cup of coffee, wash without soaking a cast, or pick a dropped phone off the floor. This is the list of what fills those gaps, in the order the need shows up.
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If you only buy a few things
These are the 7 we would tell a friend to order the day before surgery. The rest of the list is below, grouped by when it starts to matter.
- Gel underarm pads + hand grip covers $10-25
- Crutch pouch $10-25
- Shower stool $25-40
- Waterproof cast / dressing cover Under $10
- Leg elevation wedge $25-40
- Strap-on ice wrap $10-25
- Reacher grabber $25-40
Day one: make the crutches bearable
Hospital crutches ship with thin factory pads and no way to carry anything. These three are what make the first week tolerable.
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Gel underarm pads + hand grip covers
$10-25Factory pads are thin and firm. A gel cover puts a cushioned layer between the frame and your underarms and palms, and it is the change most people notice first.
Before you order: Most are universal fit. Confirm you are buying the set that matches your crutch type — underarm pads are useless on forearm crutches.
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Crutch pouch
$10-25Both hands are on the crutches, so a phone, keys, or a water bottle has nowhere to go. A pouch that straps to the frame is the whole fix.
Before you order: Check the strap style fits your shaft diameter, and that it sits where your hand does not.
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Replacement tips (7/8 inch)
Under $10Tread wears smooth and the rubber goes hard, and a smooth tip slides on wet tile. 7/8 inch fits most adult crutches, but measure the shaft before ordering.
Before you order: Measure the outside diameter of your shaft first. 7/8 inch is standard for adult crutches; youth and bariatric models differ.
The bathroom: the room to sort out first
A wet floor and one working leg is where most people feel least steady. Sorting this room out is worth doing before the first shower, not after.
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Shower stool
$25-40Showering on one leg means balancing on a wet surface with nothing solid to hold. A seat takes the balancing out of it entirely.
Before you order: Measure your shower floor before ordering, and check the weight rating covers you plus a hand on the wall.
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Waterproof cast / dressing cover
Under $10A watertight sleeve over a cast or dressing, so showering does not turn into a sponge bath for six weeks. Reusable, so one pack covers the whole stretch.
Before you order: Sized by leg length — half-leg and full-leg are different products. Measure from the top of the cast to the floor.
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Non-slip bath mat
Under $10Gives the good leg something to trust in the tub. The cheapest item on this list and the one people most often skip.
Before you order: Suction cups only grip smooth surfaces. On a textured or stone tub floor they will not hold.
Swelling and sleep
Elevation and cold are the two things almost every discharge sheet asks for, and almost nobody is sent home equipped to do either.
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Leg elevation wedge
$25-40Holds the leg at a set height instead of a stack of couch cushions that collapses at 2am. The adjustable ones let you drop the angle as the weeks pass.
Before you order: Pick an adjustable-height one if your surgeon expects to change the angle as the weeks pass.
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Strap-on ice wrap
$10-25A gel pack held in a strap stays where you put it, so you are not balancing a bag of frozen peas and re-freezing it every hour.
Before you order: Buy a second gel pack, or a model that ships with two, so one is always frozen and ready.
Everything you can no longer reach
On crutches both hands are busy and the floor is gone. These close that gap.
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Reacher grabber
$25-40Non-weight-bearing puts the floor out of play. A grabber retrieves the dropped phone, the sock, the remote, without a trip down and back up.
Before you order: 32 inches is the usual length. Shorter models will not reach the floor from a seated position, which is the whole point.
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Sock aid + dressing stick
$10-25Getting a sock onto the foot you cannot bend down to is the daily problem nobody warns you about before discharge.
Before you order: Confirm the kit includes the long-handled dressing stick, not just the sock aid on its own.
Free guide
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What this list is not
This is a practical shopping list, not medical guidance. Nothing here treats an injury or speeds a recovery, and none of it substitutes for what your surgeon or physical therapist tells you. If an item conflicts with your weight-bearing instructions or your therapist's plan, follow them, not this page.
Still choosing crutches rather than accessories for them? Start with the best crutches overall, or the size calculator if you already know the type you want.
Questions people ask
What do you actually need when you are on crutches?
Beyond the crutches themselves, the items people reach for first are padded underarm and hand-grip covers, a pouch to carry things while both hands are occupied, a seat for the shower, a way to keep a cast or dressing dry, and something to elevate the leg. A grabber and a sock aid matter more the longer you are non-weight-bearing.
Do hospitals send you home with crutch accessories?
Usually not. A standard discharge covers the crutches and a basic fitting. Pads, a bag, shower equipment, and elevation support are almost always left to the patient to buy, which is why the first week is harder than most people expect.
What size are replacement crutch tips?
7/8 inch is the standard shaft and tip size on most adult underarm crutches, but measure the outside diameter of your own shaft before ordering, because youth and bariatric models differ. Our guide on replacing crutch tips walks through the swap.
Will insurance pay for crutch pads or a shower stool?
The crutches themselves may be reimbursable as durable medical equipment under HCPCS code E0110, but comfort accessories such as pads, bags, and grips are generally treated as convenience items and are usually not reimbursed. Some may qualify under an FSA or HSA; confirm with your plan before assuming either way. Our coverage checker walks through what applies to you.
How much does the whole kit cost?
Most items on this list sit under $25 each, with the shower stool, leg wedge, and grabber at the top of the range. Nothing here needs to be bought all at once — the list is grouped by when each thing actually starts to matter.