Hip Fracture Recovery
Hip fracture rehabilitation
Recovering from a hip fracture
A hip fracture is a significant event, and most are treated with surgery to stabilize the bone so you can get moving again — because moving, safely and early, is one of the most important parts of recovery. This program supports that journey: regaining motion and confidence on your feet, rebuilding strength, and steadying your balance, all at a pace that's right for you and your care team. Recovery takes time, and steady progress is the goal.
Follow your surgeon's weight-bearing plan
The single most important instruction after a hip fracture is how much weight your surgeon wants you to put through the leg — it may be "as tolerated" or limited for a while. That guidance always comes first, ahead of anything here. Use your walker or crutches exactly as advised, and let your care team's plan set the pace for progressing this program.
Moving early and safely
Getting up and moving — within your limits — helps in almost every way: it keeps the lungs clear, the blood flowing, the other muscles working, and the mind encouraged. Early on, that's gentle motion, standing with support, and short, frequent walks with your aid. Little and often beats long and tiring. Each safe step is progress.
Rebuilding strength
A fracture and its recovery take strength out of the leg, so a steady rebuild is central. We start with gentle activation (squeezes and sets you can do in bed or a chair), then standing strength like sit-to-stands and supported hip work, and progress as you steady. The strength is what returns your independence — standing from a chair, stairs, walking further.
Balance and preventing another fall
Because many hip fractures follow a fall, steadying your balance is a real priority — it protects the hip you're rebuilding. This program threads balance work through every phase, from supported weight-shifts to single-leg steadiness. Around the home, clear trip hazards, light the path to the bathroom, use rails, and wear supportive footwear. Confidence and steadiness grow together.
How this program is built
Each phase builds on the last: first motion and safe standing, then strength and balance, then endurance and steadier single-leg control. Always within your weight-bearing limits and with your aid as advised. Some fatigue and ache are expected as you rebuild; sharp pain, a sudden change, or a new inability to bear weight is a reason to pause and call your care team.
Caring for the bone
Recovery is also a good moment to support bone health, since a fracture can be a signal worth acting on. Your care team may discuss bone-strengthening treatment, vitamin D and calcium, and a review of any medications or factors involved. Good nutrition and protein support healing too. These steps help protect against future fractures — ask your care team what fits you.
The road ahead
Recovering from a hip fracture is a gradual climb, and many people regain strong, independent walking with steady work. There will be better days and harder ones; the direction that matters is forward. Lean on your care team, your aids, and the people around you — and give yourself credit for each step. This program is here to guide the rebuild.
Tracking how you're doing
Your quick daily check-in — how the hip feels, what you've been doing — gives you and your care team a shared view of how your recovery is trending. Together with your exercise routine, it's a simple way to see your progress and keep your care team in the loop. It is not a monitoring or warning system.
This guide is general education, not medical advice, and doesn't replace evaluation by a licensed provider. For urgent symptoms, contact your care team or call 911.