Intermediate Hip Sprain and Strain Rehabilitation
A 14-week intermediate program using kettlebells, barbells, dip stations, tennis balls, and suspension trainers 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
- sprain-strain
- Level
- intermediate
- Duration
- 14
- Sessions/week
- 5
- Minutes/session
- 30
- Evidence level
- moderate
- ICD-10
- S72
- Cost tier
- moderate
Program Overview Intermediate Hip Sprain and Strain Rehabilitation is a 14-week, five-days-per-week plan with 30-minute sessions. It uses a kettlebell, barbell, dip station, tennis ball, and suspension trainer to rebuild hip strength, mobility, and control gradually. The plan is supervised by your clinician, who will check your progress at each phase before you advance.
Who This Program Is For and Its Goal This program is for people recovering from an intermediate hip sprain or strain who can already bear weight and have early healing underway. Its goal is to restore comfortable hip movement, rebuild strength around the hip and pelvis, and return you to everyday and recreational activities safely, with each phase unlocked only when your clinician confirms you meet the listed criteria.
Before You Start Have your clinician review this plan and confirm it fits your situation before starting. Report any new or worsening symptoms promptly rather than pushing through them.
Safety Notes and When to Stop Do not start or continue if you have signs of active inflammation, infection, or a known or suspected blood clot, or if your clinician has flagged compartment syndrome risk—these need medical assessment first. Stop and call your clinician for sharp or worsening pain, sudden swelling, calf pain or warmth, fever, numbness, or new weakness. Avoid overloading the hip, keep your spine neutral during exercises, and always finish with a cool-down.
Weekly Structure The 14 weeks are organized into phases that build on each other, using the criteria your clinician has set.
How the Plan Is Organized Expect five sessions per week, about 30 minutes each, using the listed equipment. Early weeks focus on gentle protection, pain control, and basic motion; middle weeks add strength and control work; later weeks emphasize functional and sport-like movements. Your clinician decides when you move from one phase to the next based on your progress, not just the calendar. Keep sessions consistent, and let pain guide how hard you push.
What a Typical Session Looks Like Each session follows a predictable pattern, so you know what to expect.
Warm-Up, Main Work, and Cool-Down Begin with light aerobic work and gentle hip motion to warm up. The main work uses the kettlebell, barbell, dip station, and suspension trainer for controlled strengthening and stability exercises, with the tennis ball for soft-tissue work as directed. Cool down with easy stretching and mobility, and apply cryotherapy compression afterward as your clinician advises. Modalities such as ultrasound, electrical stimulation, taping, and low-load blood flow restriction are used only under clinician direction.
Tracking Progress Track your symptoms and function regularly so you and your clinician can see trends.
Using Progression Criteria and Outcome Measures Your clinician uses the phase criteria—things like pain levels, range of motion, strength testing, and tolerance of specific movements—to decide when you are ready to advance. Outcome measures such as the Hip Outcome Score, Modified Harris Hip Score, International Hip Outcome Tool-12, pain scale, single leg stance, and hip range of motion help document change over time. Never advance phases on your own.
Recovery and Self-Care Recovery happens between sessions as much as during them.
Pain Management, Rest, and Red Flags Use ice or compression after sessions as advised, and get enough rest and sleep. Do not mask increasing pain with medication to push through exercise. Call your clinician for severe or persistent pain, new swelling, calf pain or warmth, fever, numbness, or weakness.
Recovery phases
Pain less than 3/10 at rest with weight-bearing, Able to tolerate stationary biking with minimal discomfort, Hip flexion range of motion greater than 70 degrees, No pain with gentle passive hip internal/external rotation, Able to perform isometric gluteal contractions without exacerbation, Weight-bearing as tolerated with assistive device
→ Advance to: Phase II
Pain less than 2/10 with activities of daily living, Hip flexion range of motion greater than 90 degrees, Hip abduction strength 4/5 on manual muscle testing, Able to perform active straight leg raise without hip flexor compensation, No pain with palpation of trochanteric bursa, Single leg stance for 10 seconds with minimal compensation
→ Advance to: Phase III
Hip flexion range of motion greater than 105 degrees, Hip external rotation range of motion greater than 35 degrees, Able to perform clam shells without pain, Hip extension strength 4/5 on manual muscle testing, No irritation of iliopsoas tendon with resisted flexion, Walking without assistive device
→ Advance to: Phase IV
Hip internal rotation range of motion greater than 25 degrees, Single leg squat to 45 degrees knee flexion without valgus collapse, Hip abduction strength 5/5 on manual muscle testing, Able to perform bridge with single leg progression, No pain with functional movements, Hip adductor strength 4/5 on manual muscle testing
→ Advance to: Phase IV
Full hip range of motion in all planes, Single leg stance for 30 seconds without compensation, Able to perform step-ups without hip hiking, Hip extensor strength 5/5 on manual muscle testing, No pain with palpation of ischiofemoral ligament, Shuttle walk for 15 minutes without increased symptoms
→ Advance to: Phase IV
Single leg squat to 70 degrees knee flexion with good mechanics, Able to perform single leg bridge without lumbar compensation, Hip external rotator strength 4/5 on manual muscle testing, No pain with cross-body hip adduction stretch, Single leg hop for distance greater than 80% of contralateral side, Jogging progression initiated without pain
→ Advance to: Phase V
Hip flexion strength 5/5 on manual muscle testing, Able to complete lateral shuffles without pain, No provocation of acetabular labrum with deep flexion activities, Figure-8 running without discomfort, Single leg landing from jump with good control, Hip circular movements without catching or clicking
→ Advance to: Phase V
Able to perform running cuts at 75% speed, Single leg squat without visual hip adduction drop, No tenderness with FABER test, Functional Movement Screen hip mobility score greater than 2, Prone hip extension without lumbar compensation, Pigeon pose stretch without pain
→ Advance to: Phase V
Full sport-specific range of motion, Running at 100% speed without apprehension, Cutting and pivoting without pain, Single leg hop for time within 10% of contralateral side, No groin pain with ballistic movements, Adequate hip labral stress test tolerance
→ Advance to: Phase V
Complete non-contact training drills, No pain with resisted hip flexion in neutral, Able to perform high-intensity interval training, Sport-specific movements at competition pace, No recurrence of trochanteric bursitis symptoms, Patient subjective readiness for return to sport
→ Advance to: Phase V
Full participation in practice activities, Hip Outcome Score activities of daily living subscale greater than 85%, No hip flexor tendinopathy with sprinting, Adequate core endurance for athletic demands, Successful completion of on-field rehabilitation, No pain with deep squat positions
→ Advance to: Phase V
Full return to competitive play, Modified Harris Hip Score greater than 90, No antalgic gait pattern, Hip internal rotation equal to contralateral side, Return to sport without modifications, Patient reports greater than 90% recovery
→ Advance to: Phase V
Maintenance of strength and mobility gains, Continued progression of plyometric activities, No exacerbation with high-demand activities, Sport-specific skill work at full intensity, Hip abduction strength greater than 95% of contralateral side, Continued neuromuscular control during dynamic movements
→ Advance to: Phase V
Discharge criteria met, Independent home exercise program, Full return to prior level of function, No restrictions with activities, Patient education on injury prevention completed, Final outcome measures documented
→ Advance to: Discharge
Return to activity milestones
Pain-free basic activities of daily living
Week 4Ankle dorsiflexion adequate for normalised gait pattern over heel
Light functional activities and conditioning
Week 6Weight-bearing tolerance increased by ≥ 25% from previous baseline
Moderate activity and sport-specific conditioning
Week 8Able to ascend and descend 4 stairs with reciprocal pattern, no rail
Full return to sport, occupation, and recreation
Week 14Weight-bearing tolerance increased by ≥ 25% from previous baseline
Precautions
- avoid-overloading
- maintain-neutral-spine
- cool-down-after
Contraindications
- acute-inflammation
- infection
- dvt-risk
- compartment-syndrome
Pain management
- Ice therapy to hip joint and trochanteric region
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications as prescribed
- Gentle joint mobilization to acetabulum
- Soft tissue mobilization to hip flexors and adductors
- Positional relief with pillow positioning during sleep
Equipment & modalities
Frequently asked questions
How hard should I push during a session?
Can I skip sessions or jump ahead in the plan?
What if I miss a week or have a flare-up?
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