Beginner Hip Acute Injury Rehabilitation
A 13-week beginner program using wrist splints, barbells, knee braces, foam rollers, and kettlebells to aid in the recovery process.
Professional rehabilitation program designed for effective recovery and pain management.
Key facts at a glance
- Body part
- lower-limb · hip
- Injury type
- acute-injury
- Level
- beginner
- Duration
- 13
- Sessions/week
- 3
- Minutes/session
- 45
- Evidence level
- moderate
- ICD-10
- S72
- Cost tier
- moderate
Program Overview This is a 13-week, beginner-level rehabilitation guide for someone recovering from an acute hip injury. It combines supervised hands-on treatments with a gradual exercise plan you build week by week.
Who This Program Is For and Its Goal This guide is for adults starting rehab soon after an acute hip injury who need to rebuild comfort, movement, and strength gradually. The goal is to protect the healing hip early, then safely progress toward walking, daily activities, and basic strength with less pain. Progress is guided by your clinician, not by pushing through pain.
Before You Start Please review every step with your physical therapist or doctor before beginning. Some techniques listed—such as ultrasound, shockwave, blood flow restriction, aquatic therapy, and taping—should only be used under professional supervision.
Safety Notes and When to Stop Do not start if you have severe pain, active inflammation, or a known or suspected risk of deep vein thrombosis (blood clots). Stop and contact your clinician right away if pain steadily worsens, you develop new swelling, calf pain, warmth or redness in the leg, chest pain, or shortness of breath. Warm up before activity, stop if pain increases, and cool down afterward.
Weekly Structure Plan for three sessions per week, about 45 minutes each, across 13 weeks. Your therapist may adjust the timing and mix of treatments and exercises based on how you respond.
How the 13-Week Plan Is Organized The plan moves through phases in plain steps: first protecting the hip and calming pain, then gently rebuilding movement and strength. Exercises become a little more challenging only when you meet your clinician's readiness signals. Equipment such as a foam roller, kettlebell, knee brace, and wrist splint may support specific activities as your therapist directs; a barbell is used only if and when your clinician clears it.
What a Typical Session Looks Like Each session follows a simple rhythm: prepare the body, do the main work, then settle down. The exact mix depends on your phase and your therapist's guidance.
Warm-Up, Main Work, and Cool-Down Warm up gently to raise body temperature and loosen the hip. Main work includes the treatments and exercises your clinician selects. Cool down with easy movement, gentle stretching, and—if approved—foam rolling around (not directly over) sore areas. Use the knee brace, wrist splint, kettlebell, or barbell only as your therapist instructs.
Tracking Progress Keep a simple log of pain levels, what you did, and how you felt afterward. Bring this to visits so your clinician can see trends and adjust the plan.
How Progression and Outcome Measures Are Used Your clinician uses the readiness signals listed for each phase—things like comfortable range of motion, walking tolerance, and strength—to decide when to advance. Standard questionnaires and balance and walking tests (such as the Single Leg Stance and Timed Up and Go) help track change over time. These guide decisions; they are not targets to force on your own.
Recovery and Self-Care Rest, good sleep, and pacing your activities support healing. Follow your clinician's advice on activity and any precautions. Keep appointments for supervised treatments.
Pain Management Cautions and Red Flags Do not self-medicate or change medications without your doctor. Mild, settling soreness may be expected, but stop if pain increases. Seek urgent care for chest pain, shortness of breath, or signs of a clot such as calf pain or swelling, warmth, or redness in the leg.
Recovery phases
Pain at rest less than 2/10 on VAS scale,Weight-bearing tolerance without assistive device for 5 minutes,Hip flexion range of motion limited to 70 degrees without increased pain,Ability to perform isometric contractions of gluteus medius without exacerbation,No increase in trochanteric bursa pain with gentle palpation,Hip abduction strength rated 3/5 or greater on manual muscle testing
→ Advance to: Phase 2
Pain with activities of daily living less than 3/10,Hip flexion range of motion improved to 85 degrees,Weight-bearing tolerance for 10 minutes with or without cane,Isometric hip external rotation without pain,No nocturnal pain or pain only mild and intermittent,Tolerance of low-intensity stationary cycling for 5 minutes
→ Advance to: Phase 2
Pain at rest less than 1/10 or completely resolved,Hip flexion range of motion to 90 degrees,Full weight-bearing without assistive device,Isometric hip adductor contractions without pain,Hip internal rotation range of motion at least 15 degrees,Demonstrates proper gait pattern without compensation
→ Advance to: Phase 2
Hip flexion range of motion to 100 degrees,Hip external rotation range of motion to 30 degrees,Hip abduction strength 4-/5 on manual muscle testing,Ability to perform supine hip flexion with knee extension without hip pain,Single-leg stance time greater than 10 seconds without compensation,No pain with palpation of iliofemoral ligament
→ Advance to: Phase 3
Hip flexion range of motion to 110 degrees,Hip extension range of motion to 10 degrees,Hip abduction strength 4/5 or greater,Active straight leg raise without hip flexor compensation,Hamstring flexibility within 10 degrees of contralateral side,Tolerance of progressive stationary cycling for 15 minutes
→ Advance to: Phase 3
Full hip flexion range of motion,Hip external rotation to 40 degrees,Hip adduction strength 4/5 or greater,Functional movement pattern without labral symptoms,Single-leg stance time greater than 15 seconds with good pelvic control,No pain with ischiofemoral ligament stress
→ Advance to: Phase 3
Hip internal rotation to 25 degrees,Hip abduction strength 4+/5,Single-leg squat to 45 degrees knee flexion without pain,Functional movement pattern without compensation,6-minute walk test without increase in symptoms,Tolerance of elliptical trainer for 10 minutes
→ Advance to: Phase 4
Hip range of motion within 10 degrees of contralateral side,Hip extension strength 4/5,Single-leg squat to 60 degrees knee flexion with good control,Hip abduction endurance ratio greater than 70% of contralateral side,Timed up and go test less than 12 seconds,No pain with deep hip flexion positions
→ Advance to: Phase 4
Full pain-free hip range of motion in all planes,Hip flexion strength 4+/5,Single-leg hop for distance greater than 50% of contralateral side,Gluteus medius endurance greater than 30 seconds in side-lying,Functional movement screen hip mobility score 2 or greater,No hip labral symptoms with speed changes
→ Advance to: Phase 4
Hip external rotation strength 4+/5,Running progression tolerance without pain,Cut-pivot activities without hesitation,Single-leg landing from 6-inch height without pain,Hip flexion strength within 10% of contralateral side,No hip flexor tendon pain with resisted movements
→ Advance to: Phase 5
Hip abduction power greater than 70% of contralateral side,Agility ladder exercises without compensation,Sport-specific movements at 50% speed without symptoms,Hip adductor tendon pain-free with resisted squeeze,Full squat pattern to at least parallel,Plyometric progression without labral irritation
→ Advance to: Phase 5
Hip extension power within 15% of contralateral side,Running at 75% effort without pain,Cutting and pivoting at 75% speed without symptoms,Single-leg hop for time less than 115% of contralateral side,No groin pain with change of direction activities,Hip joint play within normal limits
→ Advance to: Phase 5
Full pain-free hip range of motion equal to contralateral side,All hip muscle groups strength 5/5 or within 10% of contralateral side,Return to sport functional test passing score,No hip labral symptoms with high-impact activities,Subjective hip outcome score greater than 80%,Cleared for full return to prior activity level
Return to activity milestones
Pain-free basic activities of daily living
Week 3Ankle dorsiflexion adequate for normalised gait pattern over heel
Light functional activities and conditioning
Week 5Weight-bearing tolerance increased by ≥ 25% from previous baseline
Moderate activity and sport-specific conditioning
Week 7Able to ascend and descend 4 stairs with reciprocal pattern, no rail
Full return to sport, occupation, and recreation
Week 13Weight-bearing tolerance increased by ≥ 25% from previous baseline
Precautions
- warm-up-before
- stop-if-pain-increases
- cool-down-after
Contraindications
- severe-pain
- acute-inflammation
- dvt-risk
Pain management
- Cryotherapy application to hip for 15-20 minutes post-session
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication as prescribed
- Gentle soft tissue mobilization to hip abductors and flexors
- Hip joint mobilization with posterior glide for pain relief
- Electrical stimulation to reduce muscle spasm around hip
Equipment & modalities
Frequently asked questions
Will I need all the equipment listed?
How do I know I'm ready for the next phase?
What if my pain flares up after a session?
This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
This content is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you have about a medical condition, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you read here.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency department immediately.
Medically reviewed by WellAlly Editorial Team Last reviewed October 6, 2026. · Read our editorial policy