Listed in Order of Necessity

1. Post-Op Brace and Crutches
   • I already had a post-op brace and crutches from Colorado, and luckily my insurance covered the bulk of the costs. If you didn’t require or receive at time of injury, definitely purchase pre-op, usually from your doctor’s office, or look for used options online if you’re on a budget (I’m trying to find somewhere to donate my brace right now!)

2. A pair of loose comfortable shorts for the months of physical therapy you have ahead of you
   • I purchased a pack of basketball shorts after my first prehab appointment from Amazon when I realized the cropped leggings wouldn’t work, it helps the therapist for better movement during manual therapy

3. Shower Bench
   •  I was using the shower bench for a good month after surgery. I have a tub in my bathroom which makes it even harder to get into as you must lift your leg, so I chose the bench that allows for easy transfer. I got mine off Amazon as well, though they also carry them at CVS and RiteAid

4. Waterproof Knee Cover
   • You’re not allowed to get your incisions wet for about two weeks post-op or until your first follow up. The Dr.’s post-op protocol didn’t specifically call out a knee cover, you can use waterproof band-aids, a garbage bag, or saran wrap, but if you’re not careful in how you wrap it, water can still get into your open incisions and potentially cause infections (die). A friend who was in rehab for her ACL sent me one of these and I’m so glad she did. You can find them on Amazon, link here

5. Ice Machine
   • This is a nice to have, not a must have. Ice packs work just fine. I chose to purchase the ice machine through the hospital’s medical device supplier since I figured I’d be icing often. The sales rep had a great tip where instead of putting ice directly into the machine, you can freeze standard sized water bottles and put that into the machine (mine fits 4 bottles). I was legitimately concerned with how the bags of ice were going to fit in the freezer, so this is a great sustainable and space saving option 

Nice to Have

1. Slant Board Calf Ankle Stretcher
   • My right calf would get really tight from poor form and overcompensating, even before the injury. At prehab, they only worked on the injured side. I needed a good way to stretch it out and bands or even leaning off a curb wasn’t cutting it. These are on the pricey side and I even called the rehab center to ask where they bought theirs, thinking they might have a discount retailer. They just get them off Amazon and I was able to find a decent quality board for a reasonable price

2. Shower Mat
   • Once I could start showering without a bench, I wanted to be super careful and avoid any potential accidents. I bought a shower mat to lay on the bottom of the tub. I always hated how the bottom of the mat would get moldy and JUST had the brilliant idea to pull it up to let it air dry out in between uses

3. Loofah with Handle
   • I bought this after finding an article that outlined items to purchase. I didn’t end up using it, but I had my mother to help me in some hard to reach places. My left foot was slightly orange for days (weeks?) after the operation, which is due to the Chloraprep they used in the OR. I had her give it a good scrub for me in the first week, but it still stayed on, and eventually it came off on its own

If you want to be really extra you can get an Elevation Pillow, but I don’t think it’s necessary. I used regular pillows and it worked fine! I do recommend having a smaller pillow for the car, when you’re going back and forth to PT. The leg is so heavy in the first few weeks it helps to have the cushioning.