Falls are the single most common complication during surgical recovery at home. They are also one of the most preventable. A fall after surgery can damage your wound, dislocate a new joint, fracture a bone weakened by immobility, and set your recovery back by weeks or months.
The risk is highest in the first two weeks after discharge, when you are at your weakest, most unsteady, and most likely to misjudge what your body can handle. Understanding why falls happen and taking practical steps to prevent them is one of the most important things you can do for your recovery.
Why you are at higher risk after surgery
Several factors combine to make post-surgical patients significantly more likely to fall than they were before their operation.
Muscle weakness. Even a few days of bed rest causes measurable muscle loss, particularly in the legs. The muscles you rely on for balance and stability may not respond the way you expect.
Medication effects. Pain medication, particularly opioids, can cause drowsiness, dizziness, and impaired coordination. Anaesthetics can affect balance for days after surgery. Even antibiotics can cause lightheadedness in some people.
Low blood pressure. Post-surgical patients often experience orthostatic hypotension, a drop in blood pressure when moving from lying or sitting to standing. This causes dizziness and light-headedness that can lead to falls.
Reduced mobility and stiffness. Limited range of motion in a joint or reluctance to weight-bear can alter your gait, making your walking pattern less stable than normal.
Pain avoidance. When something hurts, you instinctively shift your weight away from it. This creates an unbalanced gait pattern that increases the risk of losing your footing.
Fatigue. Post-surgical fatigue is profound. Tasks that would normally require no thought become effortful, and concentration lapses when you are tired, which is when falls happen.
Making your home safer
Most falls at home are caused by environmental hazards that can be addressed before you return from hospital. Ideally, these changes should be made before your surgery so your home is ready when you arrive.
Products that may help: Non-slip grip socks · Grab bar · Motion sensor night light
Floor hazards
Remove loose rugs and mats. These are the most common trip hazard in the home. Remove them from all walkways, or tape them down completely flat using double-sided carpet tape. Even a slightly curled edge can catch a shuffling foot.
Secure cables and cords. Extension leads, phone chargers, and lamp cords running across walkways should be rerouted along walls or taped flat to the floor.
Clean up clutter. Shoes by the door, bags on the floor, children’s toys, and pet bowls all become obstacles when your mobility is limited. Keep your main walking routes completely clear.
Check floor surfaces. Polished wooden or tiled floors can be slippery, particularly in socks. Wear shoes or slippers with rubber soles on hard floors. Avoid walking in socks or bare feet.
Bathroom safety
The bathroom is where most post-surgical falls occur. Wet floors, hard surfaces, and the combination of standing, sitting, and undressing create multiple risk factors.
Install non-slip mats inside the shower or bath and immediately outside on the floor. Two mats, not one.
Fit grab rails next to the toilet and inside the shower. Suction-cup rails provide temporary support, though wall-mounted rails are more secure. Rails give you something to hold when your balance is uncertain.
Use a shower chair. Sitting while showering eliminates the risk of standing in a wet, slippery environment when you are fatigued. See our guide on how to use the bathroom after surgery for more bathroom safety advice.
Lighting
Improve nighttime lighting. Falls frequently happen during nighttime trips to the bathroom. Plug-in night lights in hallways, the bedroom, and the bathroom ensure you are never walking in darkness. Motion-activated lights are even better.
Keep light switches accessible. If you cannot reach a switch from your bed, use a bedside lamp or a remote-controlled light.
For a comprehensive home preparation checklist, see our guide on 10 things to set up at home before your surgery date.
Safe movement techniques
Beyond modifying your environment, how you move through your home makes a significant difference to your fall risk.
Standing up safely
The moment of standing is when falls are most likely. Your blood pressure drops, your legs take your weight, and dizziness can strike.
Sit on the edge of the bed or chair for 15 to 30 seconds before standing. This allows your blood pressure to adjust gradually.
Push up rather than pull up. Push against the armrests or mattress to stand. Do not grab door handles, towel rails, or shelves, as these are not designed to bear your weight.
Pause once standing. Count to five before taking your first step. If you feel lightheaded, sit back down and try again in a minute.
For detailed standing techniques, see our guide on how to get in and out of bed after surgery.
Walking safely
Use your walking aid. If you have been given a frame, crutches, or stick, use them every time you walk, even if you feel steady. Feeling steady and being steady are not the same thing, particularly when you are tired or medicated.
Take small steps. Shuffling slightly is safer than taking long strides during recovery. Keep your feet within shoulder width and your steps controlled.
Look where you are going. This sounds obvious, but distraction, particularly from phones, is a genuine risk factor. Focus on the floor and your path.
Do not carry things while walking with an aid. If you need to transport items, use a bag that hangs from your walking frame, or ask someone to carry them for you. Holding objects while using crutches or a stick compromises your balance.
For more on walking techniques during recovery, see our guide on how to walk safely after surgery.
Navigating stairs
Stairs are one of the highest-risk areas during recovery. If possible, set up your recovery space on one level to minimise stair use.
If you must use stairs:
Go up leading with your stronger leg and down leading with your weaker or operated leg. The common memory aid is “good leg goes to heaven, bad leg goes to hell.”
Hold the handrail. Always. Even if you are using a crutch or stick in the other hand, the handrail provides the most reliable support.
Take one step at a time. Place both feet on each step before moving to the next. This is slower but significantly safer.
Never carry anything in your hands while using stairs. Use a small backpack or have someone else carry items up or down for you.
Managing medication effects
If your medication causes drowsiness or dizziness, be particularly careful about:
Getting up at night. If you need the bathroom at night, sit on the edge of the bed and wait a full 30 seconds before standing. Use a night light and your walking aid.
The first hour after taking medication. Peak medication effects are when you are most likely to feel drowsy or uncoordinated. Plan to rest during this window rather than walking around.
Combining medications. Pain medication combined with sleep aids, anti-anxiety medication, or even antihistamines can significantly increase drowsiness. Tell your family doctor about everything you are taking.
Pets and children
Pets and small children are unpredictable, and that unpredictability creates fall risk.
Pets underfoot are a common cause of trips, particularly cats and small dogs that tend to walk between your feet. Consider using baby gates to keep pets out of your main walking areas during the initial recovery weeks.
Children running through the house can bump into you or leave toys in your path. If possible, explain to older children that you need clear walkways, and keep younger children’s play areas separate from your recovery space.
What to do if you fall
Despite precautions, falls can happen. If you do fall:
Stay calm. Assess whether you are injured before trying to get up. Check for pain in your surgical area, your hips, wrists, and head.
Do not rush to get up. If you are injured, call for help. If you are alone and have a phone within reach, call someone. If you cannot reach a phone, try to move to a position where you can attract attention.
If you are not injured, roll onto your side, get onto your hands and knees, crawl to a sturdy piece of furniture, and use it to push yourself up gradually. Do not try to stand up from the floor without support.
Report the fall to your surgical team, even if you feel fine. After hip or knee replacement in particular, a fall may need to be checked with imaging to ensure the implant is still in the correct position.
Building confidence safely
The fear of falling can itself become a problem. People who are afraid of falling tend to move less, which leads to further muscle weakness, which increases the actual risk of falling. It is a cycle worth breaking.
The best way to build confidence is to move regularly, use your aids consistently, and follow your physiotherapy programme. Each day of safe, steady walking builds both the strength and the confidence that reduce your fall risk over time.
Preventing falls is not about being fearful. It is about being practical, preparing your environment, and giving your body the support it needs until your strength returns.
*Always follow the specific guidance of your surgical team, as mobility recommendations vary by procedure and individual circumstances.*