Physiotherapy After Hip Replacement at Home
Hip replacement surgery is one of the most common orthopaedic procedures in Australia. What you do in the weeks and months after surgery significantly affects your outcome.
Why Physiotherapy Matters After Hip Replacement
Hip replacement surgery (total hip arthroplasty) replaces a damaged hip joint with an artificial one. The surgery itself is highly successful, but the quality of your recovery depends heavily on what happens after you leave the hospital.
Physiotherapy after hip replacement aims to restore your strength, mobility, and confidence so you can return to your daily activities. Without structured rehabilitation, it is common to develop compensatory movement patterns, lose muscle strength, and take longer to regain independence.
Most people are discharged from hospital within 1 to 4 days after hip replacement surgery. That means the majority of your rehabilitation happens at home, which is why mobile physiotherapy is particularly well-suited for post-surgical recovery in older adults.
Recovery Timeline: What to Expect
Every person recovers at a different rate, but the following timeline gives a general guide to what most people can expect after a standard total hip replacement. Your surgeon and physiotherapist will adjust this based on your individual progress.
Weeks 1-2: Early Recovery
This phase focuses on managing pain and swelling, maintaining hip precautions, and starting gentle exercises. You will be walking with a walking frame or crutches. Physiotherapy during this phase typically includes gentle range of motion exercises, ankle pumps to reduce swelling risk, walking practice with your aid, and getting in and out of bed safely.
Most people need help with daily tasks during this phase. Mobile physiotherapy can begin within the first week of being home.
Weeks 2-6: Building Strength
Swelling and pain gradually decrease. Exercises become more challenging, focusing on building leg strength and improving walking pattern. You may progress from a walking frame to a single crutch or walking stick during this phase.
Physiotherapy includes progressive strengthening exercises for the hip and leg muscles, balance exercises, stair practice if relevant to your home, and gait retraining to reduce limping. Hip precautions typically remain in place during this phase depending on your surgeon's protocol.
Weeks 6-12: Return to Activities
Most people can walk without a walking aid by this stage, though this varies. Exercises focus on more advanced strengthening, endurance, and returning to activities you enjoy. Your surgeon typically reviews you around the 6-week mark and may relax or remove hip precautions at this point.
Physiotherapy during this phase may include higher-level balance challenges, outdoor walking, community access, and exercises to address any remaining weakness or stiffness. Some people continue physiotherapy beyond 12 weeks if they have specific goals or ongoing areas of difficulty.
Hip Precautions: What You Need to Know
After hip replacement surgery, your surgeon will typically prescribe a set of hip precautions to protect the new joint while the surrounding tissues heal. These precautions vary depending on the surgical approach used.
The most common precautions for a posterior approach hip replacement include:
- Do not bend your hip past 90 degrees - avoid low chairs, bending forward to pick things up from the floor, or pulling your knee to your chest.
- Do not cross your legs or ankles - keep your legs apart when sitting, sleeping, and lying down.
- Do not twist or rotate your hip inward - turn your whole body rather than twisting at the hip.
Important: Hip precautions vary between surgeons and surgical approaches. The anterior approach to hip replacement often has fewer or no specific precautions. Always follow the specific instructions from your surgeon. Your physiotherapist will reinforce these precautions and teach you how to perform daily activities safely within these limitations.
Common Exercises After Hip Replacement
Your physiotherapist will prescribe exercises specific to your stage of recovery and individual progress. The following are examples of exercises commonly used in hip replacement rehabilitation. These should only be performed under the guidance of your treating physiotherapist.
Ankle Pumps
Lying on your back, pump your ankles up and down by pointing your toes toward you and then away from you. Repeat 20-30 times, several times a day. This helps maintain circulation and reduce swelling risk in the early days after surgery.
Heel Slides
Lying on your back, slide your heel toward your buttocks by bending your knee, then slowly straighten. This helps maintain and improve knee and hip range of motion. Keep the movement within your pain-free range.
Static Quads (Quad Sets)
Lying on your back with your leg straight, push the back of your knee down into the bed by tightening the muscle on the front of your thigh. Hold for 5 seconds, relax, and repeat. This maintains quadriceps strength, which is essential for walking and getting out of chairs.
Hip Abduction (Lying)
Lying on your back, slide your operated leg out to the side and back in, keeping your toes pointing to the ceiling. This strengthens the hip abductor muscles, which are critical for walking stability and reducing a limp.
Sit-to-Stand
From a raised, firm chair, practise standing up and sitting down in a controlled manner. This is a functional exercise that directly translates to daily life. Your physiotherapist will ensure you maintain your hip precautions during this exercise.
Why Mobile Physiotherapy Works Well After Hip Surgery
In the weeks after hip replacement, getting to a clinic can be difficult or impossible. You may not be able to drive for 6 weeks or more, and relying on someone else to transport you adds stress and complexity to your recovery.
Mobile physiotherapy removes this barrier entirely. Your physiotherapist comes to your home, which means treatment can start sooner - often within the first week of discharge. They can also assess how you manage in your actual home environment, identify any obstacles to your recovery, and practise real-life tasks like getting in and out of your own bed, navigating your hallway with a walking frame, and managing your bathroom safely.
This is a practical advantage that clinic-based rehabilitation does not offer. Your home is where you live and where you need to function, so it makes sense to rehabilitate in that environment.
For more about our post-surgery rehabilitation approach, visit the post-surgery rehabilitation service page. For information on how physiotherapy is funded, see our funding and payment options page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How soon after hip replacement can I start physiotherapy at home?
Mobile physiotherapy can typically begin within the first week of returning home from hospital. Early physiotherapy focuses on gentle range of motion exercises, swelling management, safe walking practice with your walking aid, and maintaining hip precautions.
How long does physiotherapy continue after hip replacement?
Most people benefit from physiotherapy for 6 to 12 weeks after hip replacement surgery. The frequency and duration depend on your individual progress, goals, and any complications. Some people continue beyond 12 weeks if they have specific goals or ongoing areas of difficulty.
Can I drive after hip replacement surgery?
Most surgeons advise against driving for approximately 6 weeks after hip replacement, though this varies depending on the surgical approach, which hip was replaced (left or right), and whether you drive an automatic or manual car. Your surgeon will advise you when it is safe to return to driving.
Content reviewed by Jovi Villanueva, AHPRA Registered Physiotherapist (PHY0001876394), Principal Physiotherapist at Wellworx Physio.
Last updated: March 2026
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