Hip Abduction Pillow

A hip abduction pillow is a firm foam wedge that sits between your legs and keeps them apart. It is most often used after hip replacement surgery, when your surgeon wants to stop your legs crossing or turning inward while you sleep.^[1]

Your surgeon decides whether you need one. This guide explains what the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and a leading NHS orthopaedic hospital say about sleeping after hip surgery, how the pillow types differ, and eight options that are in stock on the web US. For everyday hip pain without surgery, see our guide to the pillow for hip pain.

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Key Specs

No.	Product	Type	Fill / material	Cover	Sizes	Care
1	ProCare Foam Support	Abduction pillow	Dense fire-retardant foam	–	18 in long, 6 in top, 12 in bottom	Hand wash, air dry
2	ComfiLife Knee Pillow	Knee pillow	Polyurethane memory foam	Breathable, zippered	9.8 x 7.9 x 6.3 in	Machine washable cover
3	Crauru 2-in-1 Abduction	Abduction pillow	35D high-density foam	Velvet, removable zipper	–	–
4	Rolyan Foam Wedge	Abduction wedge	Non-latex foam	–	6.5 in top, 13 in bottom, 13.2 in high, 14 in long	–
5	Rolyan Knee Separator	Knee separator	Foam	Polyester, removable	–	Cover washes in warm water, dry on low
6	DonJoy ProCare 79-90180	Abduction pillow	–	–	6.5 in bottom, 3 in top, 19 to 27 in long	–
7	NYOrtho Wedge Separator	Abduction wedge	Contoured foam	Fluid-resistant Sure-Chek or breathable stretch fabric	4 in wedge, 46 in strap	–
8	McKesson Foam Abduction	Abduction pillow	Foam	–	23 x 14.2 x 8.3 in	–

– = not stated by the maker. Specs as stated by the maker, not tested by us.

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What a Hip Abduction Pillow Does

Your muscles and tissues need time to heal after a hip replacement. For most people with a normally shaped hip joint, that means getting back to everyday activities and being guided by pain. People at higher risk of dislocation, for example after revision surgery or with hip dysplasia, may be told to avoid certain movements, known as hip precautions.^[2]

OrthoInfo says the precautions help prevent the new joint from dislocating and support healing. Most patients can manage most of the “don’ts” after 6 to 8 weeks without any impact on the implant.^[1] An abduction pillow is one way to follow them in bed, because it keeps your legs apart and stops the operated leg crossing the midline of your body.^[2]

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Sleeping After Hip Replacement

• Sleep on Your Back First – The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital advises sleeping on your back for the first month.[2]
• Then Your Operated Side – After that, you can sleep on the operated side if it is not too tender. Avoid your non-operated side, which raises the risk of dislocation.[2]
• Keep Your Legs Uncrossed – Do not cross your legs at the knees for at least 6 to 8 weeks, and keep the operated leg from crossing the center line of your body.[1][2]
• Do Not Reach Down in Bed – OrthoInfo lists not reaching down to pull up blankets while lying in bed.[1]
• Firm Bed – The hospital advises a firm bed and a duvet, which is easier to move than blankets.[2]

See a GP if hip pain stops you doing normal activities, affects your sleep or has not improved after 2 weeks of home treatment.^[3]

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Types of Hip Abduction Pillows

• Strapped Wedges – Most abduction pillows are foam wedges with foam straps that wrap your legs. The ProCare, Rolyan Foam Wedge, DonJoy ProCare and NYOrtho work this way.
• Knee Separators – A block that sits between the thighs with a strap around the legs. The Rolyan Knee Separator holds the thighs 4 inches apart.
• Two-in-One Pillows – The Crauru has a removable knee separator for sitting, so it covers sleeping and chair time.
• Knee Pillows – A contoured knee pillow, like the ComfiLife, lines up the legs for side sleepers. It does not hold your legs apart like an abduction wedge, so use one after surgery only if your surgeon says so.

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Buying Considerations for a Hip Abduction Pillow

• Your Surgeon’s Advice – Ask whether you need a wedge, how wide it should hold your legs and how long to use it.[1]
• Straps – Straps keep the pillow from slipping between your legs as you move. Look for adjustable ones.
• Size – Check the width at the top and bottom, and the length. The DonJoy’s tear-off end blocks adjust the length from 19 to 27 inches.
• Cover and Cleaning – A removable, washable cover is easier to keep fresh. A fluid-resistant or wipeable cover suits a long recovery, and some foam pillows are hand wash only.
• Latex-Free – If you have a latex allergy, choose one that is latex-free. The Rolyan Foam Wedge, Rolyan Knee Separator and McKesson are.

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How We Chose These Pillows

These picks come from research. We compared the makers’ specifications, the The web product pages and buyer feedback, and we checked that every pick is in stock on the web US. We did not test the pillows ourselves.

We looked at these factors:

• Fit for Surgery Use – Whether the product is sold for post-operative positioning, or is an everyday knee pillow.
• Width and Adjustability – The top and bottom width, strap length and whether you can set the spacing.
• Cover – Whether it is removable, washable, wipeable or latex-free.
• Stock – Whether the pillow is in stock on the web US at the time we checked.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Hip Abduction Pillows

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Our Picks: Hip Abduction Pillows

Here are eight pillows that are in stock on the web US. Check with your surgeon before you use any of them after surgery.
We may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. This does not change your price.

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1
The ProCare Foam Support is a small abduction pillow of dense, fire-retardant foam, sold for post-operative positioning after hip surgery.

• Concave sides add comfort, and soft contact-closure straps hold your legs in position and adjust quickly.
• It measures 18 inches long, 6 inches wide at the top and 12 inches wide at the bottom.
• You hand wash it with a mild detergent and air dry it. The universal design fits men and women.

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2
The ComfiLife Knee Pillow is a contoured memory foam pillow for side sleepers that sits between your knees.

• It keeps your legs, hips and spine lined up, and it measures 9.8 x 7.9 x 6.3 inches.
• The zippered cover is breathable and machine washable.
• It is an everyday knee pillow, not a post-surgery abduction wedge, so use it for ordinary side sleeping unless your surgeon approves it.

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3
The Crauru 2-in-1 Abduction Pillow is a hip replacement pillow for sleeping that has a knee separator you remove for sitting.

• It keeps your legs from crossing or rotating inward, and the filling is 35D high-density foam.
• The velvet cover unzips, and elastic straps hold the pillow in place.
• It ships vacuum packed, so give it 48 to 72 hours to return to shape.

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4
The Rolyan Foam Wedge is a small abduction block made to hold the hips and legs apart after surgery.

• The block measures 6.5 inches wide at the top, 13 inches at the bottom, 13.2 inches high and 14 inches long.
• Velfoam straps thread through a slit in the foam, so they do not tear off.
• The foam is non-latex.

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5
The Rolyan Knee Separator is a foam block that sits between your thighs, with a strap that fastens around your legs.

• The 46 inch strap keeps your thighs 4 inches apart and helps prevent inward rotation of the hips.
• The polyester cover is removable, washes in warm water and dries on low.
• The material is latex-free.

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6
The DonJoy ProCare 79-90180 is a universal hip abduction pillow with a 4 inch tear-off block on both ends.

• It is 6.5 inches wide at the bottom and 3 inches wide at the top.
• Tearing off the end blocks sets the length anywhere from 19 to 27 inches.

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7
The NYOrtho Wedge Separator is a contoured foam wedge that keeps 4 inches between the knees after hip replacement surgery.

• A 46 inch hook-receptive strap adjusts to fit, and you can trim the extra.
• The cover comes in light blue Sure-Chek, which is fluid-resistant and wipe-clean, or royal blue breathable stretch fabric.
• You can use it in a bed or a wheelchair.

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8
The McKesson Foam Abduction is a medium blue foam hip abduction pillow made without natural rubber latex.

• It measures 23 x 14.2 x 8.3 inches and weighs 1.7 pounds.
• The cushioning is shaped to pad pressure points.

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Index Table: Hip Abduction Pillows

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Sources

1. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (OrthoInfo). Activities After Hip Replacement. Accessed October 27, 2026.
2. Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (NHS). A Patient’s Guide to Hip Precautions Following Primary or Revision Total Hip Replacement. Accessed October 27, 2026.
3. National Health Service (NHS). Hip pain in adults. Accessed October 27, 2026.

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Update History

• Oct 2026: Rewrote the article around OrthoInfo, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and NHS guidance on sleeping after hip replacement, removed the unsourced pain-relief and posture claims and the unrelated allergy source, corrected the latex labels on three products, rewrote all eight product notes and added a disclaimer, a takeaways box, How We Chose and an FAQ
• Oct 2026: Replaced the Sources with three reviewed pages
• Oct 2026: Replaced unavailable products: Prime Athletics Sciatica Back Pillow with Crauru Abduction Pillow; Rolyan Durable Pillow with Rolyan Abduction Pillow; DJO Global 79-90175 Pillows with DonJoy DJO Procare Pillow; AliMed Comfortable Wedge with NYOrtho Abduction Pillow; McKesson Medi-Pak Pillow with McKesson Abduction Blue Pillow
• Oct 2026: Removed Compact Technologies 3-level Pillow (unavailable)
• Oct 2026: Added a Key Specs comparison table and a Sources section
• Feb 2022: Added ProCare Foam Pillow
• Aug 2020: Added DJO Global 79-90175 Pillows, AliMed Comfortable Wedge and McKesson Medi-Pak Pillow
• Jul 2020: Published

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