Broken Hip: Here’s What Rehab Looks Like

A broken hip can be life-altering, and putting in the work with a physical therapist and on your own will play a role in how well – and quickly – you recover.

Every year, an estimated 350,000 hip fractures happen in the United States. They often require surgery, which could include a total hip replacement. Age is the most significant risk factor; the average hip fracture patient is 83.

Timeline of Recovery

The recovery timeline will be affected by the approach chosen by your doctor. Depending on the location and severity of the break, you may be dealing with a total hip replacement. In less severe cases, the bone may be set and allowed to heal, or the surgeon may use a plate and screws to keep the bone stable while it heals.

Recovery will be longer if you’ve had a major surgery. But it generally takes six to eight weeks for the bone to heal. After including time in physical therapy, the total recovery time will be about three months.

Surgical considerations may also affect the course of your physical therapy. For example, there may be some exercises or treatments that are avoided as a precaution during the earlier stages of therapy.

What To Expect from Physical Therapy

You will start your outpatient physical therapy treatment as soon as possible, even if you’ve had surgery. The sooner you get your body moving, the better your rehabilitation results will be.

In the early going, therapy will start slowly while your bone heals. At this point, most people are using a cane, walker or crutches. For the first month or so, there’s an emphasis on keeping weight off your hip to let it heal properly.

As you progress, your exercises will promote healing with a two-pronged approach. First, hip strengthening exercises will stimulate healing by using your tendons to essentially pull on the bone. Your therapist will also stimulate the bone by progressively adding weight over time.

Therapy varies from person to person but will include a wide range of exercises. Treatment will be aided by a walking assistance device that progressively adds more weight to your leg until you are walking normally. Other exercises, including leg lifts and clam shells, will be done while laying on a table.

Your recovery will come in stages or milestones, which will be different for every patient. After a broken hip, everyone’s goal is to walk normally, without assistance. If you come in using a walker, it’s going to be a big day when you can walk without it – even if you are still using a cane. Taking a first step up a flight of stairs can be a big milestone. It’s not always achievable to get everyone back to their pre-injury activity levels. But with work, you can get as close as possible.

Words of Advice

Your physical therapy sessions will be an important part of your recovery. But there is much you can do, beyond those office visits, to give yourself the best chance at success.

The exercises you learn in the office, for example, are meant to be done at home between your sessions. Your therapist will work with you to make sure you’re doing them correctly and will measure your progress over time. But your exercise time at home is critical.

Also, when you are home, avoid sitting for long periods of time. Get up every hour and walk around a bit. (You can make this easier in the early going by avoiding sitting on low surfaces, which can make it hard to get back up.) Walking is one of the best things you can do for your recovering hip bone. That movement – with weight going on and off the bone – is the most effective way to stimulate the healing process. The more you can do, as long as it’s not causing severe pain, the better.