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Rehab · Treatment

Hip Replacement Rehab

Post-Total Hip Replacement programmes that respect hip precautions in the early phases and rebuild glute strength systematically through the later phases.

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Typical programme

12–20 weeks

Session length

60 min

Recovery rate

95%

Understanding the condition

Total hip replacement rehabilitation — the muscle work that makes the new joint perform.

A total hip replacement can be life-changing — trading years of pain for a mobile, reliable joint. The early phase calls for care: respecting hip precautions protects the new joint while the tissues heal around it. The later phase calls for strength.

Our post-THR programme balances both. We protect the joint and keep you moving safely in the early weeks, then systematically rebuild the glute strength that the arthritic hip had quietly lost for years. The goal is a hip you can walk, climb and live on without a second thought.

Image — glute strengthening after hip replacement

Why it happens

The root causes we look for.

Primary hip osteoarthritis

Gradual loss of femoral head and acetabular cartilage, producing progressive pain, range restriction and eventually severe functional limitation — the most common indication for THR.

Avascular necrosis of the femoral head

Loss of blood supply to the femoral head causes bone death and collapse — indicated for THR at a younger age than typical OA and requiring full rehabilitation.

Hip dysplasia and secondary OA

Developmental shallowness of the acetabulum accelerates cartilage wear and can necessitate THR several decades earlier than primary OA.

Inflammatory arthritis (RA or ankylosing spondylitis)

Autoimmune joint destruction of the hip requiring THR, often in a younger patient with specific rehabilitation considerations related to systemic disease.

Symptoms we treat

Recognise any of these?

Recent THR surgery

Weakness around the hip

Limp on walking

Difficulty with hip precautions

Reduced range on the operated side

Compensations through the lower back

Our Approach

How we'll actually treat it.

WEEK 1–4

Precautions phase

Safe motion within precautions, swelling control, gait basics.

WEEK 4–10

Glute reactivation

Targeted glute strengthening, walking re-education, balance work.

WEEK 10–16

Functional strength

Squats, step-ups, single-leg work, posture and core integration.

WEEK 16+

Return to life

Return to walking distances, low-impact sport, daily activities without limitation.

Services Involved

The disciplines we'll combine.

Every programme braids two or three of our core services. Here's the typical pairing for this condition.

Physiotherapy

Hands-on clinical care — the backbone of every programme.

Clinical Pilates

Mat and reformer pilates supervised by clinicians.

Fitness Training

Strength and conditioning programmed alongside your therapy.

The results

Treatment that actually holds.

95% of our THR patients discharge at their functional rehabilitation goal. Most are walking without aids at six to eight weeks and fully active in their daily lives by three to four months.

95%

Recovery & satisfaction rate

95%

Return to confident walking

12–20 weeks

Typical programme

60 min

Per session

Common questions

Your questions, answered.

Still unsure? Our clinicians answer the questions patients ask most. You can always call the HSR Layout clinic for a straight answer first.

Ask us directly

For a posterior approach THR (the most common), the standard precautions are: no hip flexion beyond 90 degrees, no crossing the legs, and no internal rotation. These apply for six to eight weeks while the capsule heals. We give you specific guidance for daily activities — sitting, getting into a car, sleeping positions — that respect these restrictions while allowing maximum functional progress.

For a right hip replacement, driving readiness typically occurs at six to eight weeks when you can perform an emergency stop safely. Left hip replacement with automatic transmission often allows an earlier return. Your surgeon gives medical clearance; we assess functional readiness — reaction time, range, and sitting tolerance — before signing off.

Yes. Most patients return to low-impact exercise — swimming, cycling, walking, golf — by three to four months. High-impact activities like running require good strength and balance to protect the prosthesis. We'll discuss what your specific implant and surgical team recommend.

Yes. The Trendelenburg gait pattern is a gluteal weakness and inhibition issue, and it responds to targeted glute strengthening at any stage post-surgery. Patients presenting eighteen months post-THR with a persistent limp reliably improve with a structured gluteal rehabilitation programme.