What to expect from rehabilitation after hip fracture surgery

A physiotherapist may first assess pain, alertness, leg movement, standing balance, and the amount of weight allowed through the operated leg. You may practise rolling, sitting up, standing, using a frame or crutches, and getting in and out of a chair.

Later, treatment can include hip and leg strengthening, balance exercises, walking on different surfaces, and tasks such as stairs, dressing, and bathroom transfers. The plan is shaped by the fracture repair, weight-bearing instructions, general health, and your home setting. Information about the injury is available in [Hip Fracture].

Use the walking aid at the height and level advised, take prescribed medicines as directed, and complete short exercise sessions consistently rather than rushing into long walks. Keep pathways clear, use recommended supports, and ask for help with tasks that involve twisting or loss of balance.

Attend follow-up appointments so the team can review wound healing, walking, strength, and weight-bearing. Tell them about dizziness, fear of falling, constipation, poor appetite, or difficulty managing at home; these can change the rehabilitation plan.

Seek prompt medical advice for increasing hip pain, wound redness or drainage, fever, new calf swelling, or a sudden decline in walking. Urgent help is needed for sudden breathlessness, chest pain, collapse, or a leg that becomes cold or unusually pale.

Ask how much weight you may place on the operated leg, which walking aid is appropriate, when stairs and driving are reasonable, and what equipment may make bathing or toileting safer. Ask who to contact if pain or mobility worsens.