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Fracture Rehab

Post-cast and post-fixation rehabilitation — from wrist and ankle fractures to more complex internal fixations. Restoring range, strength, and confidence to load.

Typical programme
8–14 weeks
Session length
60 min
Recovery rate
92%
Understanding the condition

Coming out of the cast — what happens next and why it matters more than people think.

A healed fracture is only half the story. Time in a cast or fixation leaves the joint stiff, the muscle wasted, and your confidence to load it badly shaken. Bone union is the start of rehab, not the end of it.

Our fracture rehabilitation restores range of motion first, then systematically rebuilds strength and your trust in the limb — from straightforward wrist and ankle fractures to complex internal fixations. We coordinate with your surgeon’s loading restrictions so progress is always safe and never premature.

Fracture Rehab
Image — post-cast mobility and strength work
Why it happens

The root causes we look for.

01
High-energy trauma (RTA, falls from height)
Road traffic accidents and significant falls produce the fracture force directly. Femoral, tibial and clavicular fractures are common in this category.
02
Low-energy falls in older adults
Osteoporosis reduces bone density enough that low-energy falls — from standing height — produce fractures at the wrist, hip and vertebrae that younger bone would absorb safely.
03
Stress fractures from overuse
Repetitive mechanical loading without adequate recovery — especially in runners rapidly increasing mileage — produces microfracture accumulation that develops into a stress fracture, typically in the tibia or metatarsals.
04
Pathological fractures
Bone weakened by metabolic disease, metastatic lesion or prior radiation fractures under loads that healthy bone tolerates normally. Rehabilitation is coordinated with the treating medical team.
05
Sporting and occupational trauma
Direct impact in contact sport (clavicle, ribs, finger fractures) or heavy manual work (metacarpal fractures) with specific rehabilitation pathways depending on which structure and occupation.
Symptoms we treat

Recognise any of these?

Severe stiffness after cast removal
Weakness in the affected limb
Fear of loading the bone
Swelling that lingers for weeks
Reduced range at the nearby joints
Loss of muscle bulk
Our Approach

How we'll actually treat it.

WEEK 1–2
1
Assess healing
Coordinate with surgeon, screen for restrictions, begin gentle motion.
WEEK 2–6
2
Restore motion
Joint mobilisation, gentle stretching, manual therapy for soft tissue.
WEEK 6–10
3
Build strength
Progressive resistance training, address compensatory patterns.
WEEK 10–14
4
Return to function
Sport-specific, work-specific, or daily-living-specific loading.
The results

Treatment that actually holds.

With structured post-fracture rehabilitation, most patients achieve full functional recovery — including return to sport or heavy manual work. The key variable is starting rehabilitation early and completing all three phases rather than stopping once the limp resolves.

92%
Recovery & satisfaction rate
92%
Regain full function
8–14 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
We begin as soon as your orthopaedic surgeon clears you for loading — which may be before the cast or boot comes off. Gentle range of movement and muscle activation work can start very early without compromising bone healing, and starting sooner means less total time in rehabilitation.
Bone healing and soft tissue healing are different processes. The muscle atrophy and joint stiffness that develop during immobilisation take several weeks to several months of targeted rehabilitation to resolve — that's completely normal and entirely addressable.
Often yes, particularly for fractures near joints. Finger fractures that are inadequately rehabilitated frequently result in residual stiffness, weakness, or altered grip mechanics. A few targeted sessions to restore range and tendon gliding can prevent what would otherwise be a permanent functional limitation.
No. Three months post-hip fracture, there is typically still significant strength and balance deficit that responds well to structured rehabilitation. It will take longer than if you had started earlier, but meaningful improvement is achievable.
Ready to start?

Let's get this handled.

Book a 60-minute assessment with one of our clinicians. You'll leave with a clear diagnosis, a written programme, and a realistic timeline.

Book assessment
What's included:
  • → Full movement assessment
  • → Diagnosis & root-cause analysis
  • → Written programme with milestones
  • → Cost & timeline upfront
  • → Same-day hands-on treatment if appropriate