What Do I Do After the Basic Hip Replacement Exercises?
- Tom Morgan, Chartered Physiotherapist
- Aug 11
- 2 min read
What Do I Do After the Basic Hip Replacement Exercises?
The exercises used immediately after hip replacement are designed for the early stage of recovery. They are important, but rehabilitation normally develops as walking, confidence and strength improve. The later goal is not simply to keep repeating the same basic movements — it is to rebuild the strength, balance and function needed for everyday life.
Why the programme needs to progress
An exercise that was challenging shortly after surgery may become easy several weeks later. Where appropriate, rehabilitation can then progress by changing resistance, repetitions, movement difficulty or the functional task being trained. Any hip precautions or restrictions given by your own surgical team take priority.
What rehabilitation often progresses towards
Later rehabilitation may include stronger sit-to-stand work, step exercises, hip strengthening, balance tasks, progressively longer walking and eventually gym-based resistance training where appropriate. Progress should relate to your goals, whether those are stairs, walking outside, work, hobbies or returning to exercise.
How do I know when to progress?
There is no single timeline for everyone. Surgical approach, precautions, pain response, walking quality, strength, balance and other health conditions all matter. If symptoms are worsening rather than settling, seek advice from your healthcare team before making the programme harder.
Want one structured programme to follow through recovery?
The Complete Hip Replacement Recovery eGuide is a detailed digital resource written by HCPC-registered Chartered Physiotherapist Tom Morgan. It includes preparation, early recovery guidance, walking-aid progression, precautions, five progressive post-operative exercise phases, strength and balance rehabilitation, gym progression, trackers, checklists and QR-linked exercise video demonstrations.
This is general rehabilitation information and is designed to support, not replace, personalised advice from your surgeon, physiotherapist or healthcare team.
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