Start With the Hip You Have Today

Hip rehabilitation is about finding the amount of movement and load the hip can handle right now, then progressing it. For most hip problems, complete rest is not the answer — the joint, muscles and tendons adapt to graded movement and loading.

This guide is general education, not a diagnosis or a personalised program. Hip pain with an inability to bear weight, numbness, weakness, fever or deformity needs assessment before exercise.

Four Ways to Change Hip Demand

Reduce the range. Walk, squat or lift only as far as is comfortable and controlled.
Reduce the load. Use less resistance, or practise the movement pattern first.
Reduce the volume. Fewer repetitions, shorter walks or fewer stairs may be enough for the first session.
Slow the movement. A controlled tempo can make an exercise challenging without heavy load.

Change one variable at a time so you can learn what the hip actually tolerates.

Use Symptoms as Feedback

The useful question is not only, "Did I feel anything?" but also, "What happened afterward?"

A starting dose is more likely to be appropriate when:

discomfort stays mild and does not climb with every repetition;
you can move without changing your pattern to guard the hip;
symptoms settle after the session; and
the hip is not meaningfully worse later that day or the next morning.

Sharp groin pain that is increasing, clicking with pain, or symptoms that get steadily worse are reasons to stop and reassess.

A Simple Starting Session

If pain developed gradually and you can move normally, begin with one or two controlled exercises rather than a long circuit.

Clamshell: 2 sets of 8–12 slow repetitions per side
Hip hinge: 2 sets of 8–10 controlled repetitions
Glute bridge: 2 sets of 8–12 repetitions

Start two or three times per week, then adjust based on how the hip responds.

How to Progress

Progress when the current version feels controlled and the hip returns to its usual baseline after training.

Improve control and confidence.
Add a small number of repetitions.
Increase the movement range.
Add another set.
Add resistance.
Build toward faster, heavier or sport-specific work.

Movement Is Part of Recovery

Regular movement — walking, changing position, gentle stairs — is generally helpful. Prolonged sitting makes hips stiff and glutes weak. There is no single "right" posture; comfortable variation is the goal.

When the Pattern Needs Assessment

Arrange an assessment if:

you cannot bear weight or walk normally;
there is a sudden pop, deformity or severe pain;
the hip is hot, red or swollen, or pain comes with fever;
pain follows significant trauma, especially in an older adult;
numbness or weakness develops in the leg;
pain is not improving after a few weeks of sensible adjustment.

References

Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. "Hip Pain and Mobility Deficits—Hip Osteoarthritis: Revision 2025 Clinical Practice Guideline." https://www.jospt.org/doi/full/10.2519/jospt.2025.0301
Grimaldi A, Fearon A. "Gluteal Tendinopathy: Integrating Pathomechanics and Clinical Features in Its Management." Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. 2015. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26381486/

This information is for education only and is not a medical diagnosis. Exercise should be matched to your injury, health history and goals. Seek medical care promptly for inability to bear weight, sudden deformity, fever, numbness or weakness, or symptoms that are worsening.

General Hip Loading Principles