Hip replacement recovery physio in Manchester
Get stronger before your operation, then walk, climb stairs and get back to the things you love with a clear plan, in clinic or at home.
Hip replacement physio in Manchester city centre and at home
Reviewed by Nick Chatziviltsos, PgDip, HCPC-registered physiotherapist (PH114351), November 2026
At a glance
Who it's for: Anyone preparing for or recovering from a total hip replacement, most often for hip osteoarthritis.
Main goals: Walking without aids, climbing stairs, getting in and out of the car, and returning to work, gym or golf.
Typical recovery: Most people are walking well by 6 to 12 weeks. Full recovery takes several months.
Sessions: Most people need 6 to 10 over 3 months, plus 2 to 4 before surgery if you start with prehab.
Avoid: Breaking your surgeon's hip precautions, and sitting still for long periods.
Get urgent help: Chest pain or difficulty breathing: call 999. A hot, oozing wound or a swollen, painful calf: get an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111.
A hip replacement swaps a worn hip joint for a new ball and socket. It's one of the most successful operations there is. Modern joints are designed to last at least 15 years.
The NHS says most people go home 1 to 3 days after surgery, but it can take several months to fully recover. How well you recover depends a lot on what you do in those months. Your walking, strength and confidence all need rebuilding.
That's where physio comes in. We can help you get stronger before surgery, visit you at home in the early weeks, then rebuild your strength in clinic until you're back to the life you want.
🛠️ How we help you recover from a hip replacement
Every hip replacement plan at Athos Physio follows the same three steps. What changes is where you are in your recovery and what you want to get back to.
Step 1. Prepare and plan
Whether you're weeks before surgery or weeks after it, we start by working out three things:
Where you are now: your walking, strength, balance and pain, measured with simple tests we can repeat.
What your surgeon has advised: your hip precautions, how much weight you can take, and when your follow-up is.
What you want back: walking the dog, getting on the floor with grandchildren, the gym, golf or work.
We show you on a 3D anatomy model what your new hip looks like and why the precautions matter, so the plan makes sense.
Step 2. Get you moving safely
Home visits in the early weeks. If getting into town is hard, we come to you. We check your home set-up and practise stairs, chairs and the car.
Walking practice. From frame to crutches, then to one stick, then without aids, at the pace your hip allows.
Early exercises. Heel slides, buttock squeezes and gentle hip movements within your precautions, as part of your custom rehab plan.
Ease the pain and swelling. Gentle soft tissue work around the hip and thigh, and advice on positions, ice and rest breaks.
Step 3. Build strength and confidence
This is the part that makes the biggest difference to how well you walk long term.
Hip and leg strength, from bridges and side-lying lifts to step-ups and split squats.
Balance work, so you feel steady on uneven paths, kerbs and stairs.
Rehab on the gym floor. Being inside F45 NQ means we can use step boxes, sleds and free weights once you're ready.
Return to activity, including walking distance, swimming, cycling, golf or gym work, guided by your surgeon's advice.
We finish when you're doing what you want with confidence, not just when the wound has healed.
Got a date for surgery, or just home from hospital? Your first 60-minute session sets your plan, in clinic or at home. Book your assessment →
🔍 What is a hip replacement?
In a total hip replacement, the surgeon removes the worn ball at the top of your thigh bone and relines the socket in your pelvis. A metal stem goes into the thigh bone, with a new ball on top. The new socket is lined with plastic or ceramic.
Most hip replacements in the UK are for osteoarthritis. Others are done after a hip fracture or for other joint conditions.
The way the surgeon reaches the joint affects which movements you need to protect at first. Your surgeon will tell you which precautions apply to you.
Types of hip replacement surgery
Total hip replacement, posterior approach: ball and socket replaced, reached from the back of the hip; the most common approach. Precautions usually avoid deep bending, crossing legs and turning the leg in.
Total hip replacement, lateral or anterolateral approach: ball and socket replaced, reached from the side; precautions may differ. Hip strength on the outside of the hip often needs extra work.
Total hip replacement, anterior approach: ball and socket replaced, reached from the front; some surgeons give fewer or different precautions.
Partial hip replacement (hemiarthroplasty): only the ball is replaced, usually after a hip fracture; often an older age group. Balance and falls prevention are key.
We follow your surgeon's instructions exactly. If you're not sure what yours are, we'll help you find out.
🔍 What causes a slow recovery?
Most people recover well. When recovery stalls, it's usually for reasons we can work on together.
Common reasons we see in Manchester
Weak muscles before surgery, after years of avoiding painful movement.
Sitting still for long periods, which adds to swelling and stiffness.
Stopping the exercises once the wound heals.
Fear of moving the new hip, which leads to a stiff, limping walk.
Doing too much too soon, which flares pain and swelling.
Other health conditions, such as diabetes or heart and lung problems.
Myths about hip replacement recovery
"Rest is best." The NHS says you should walk every day, as far as is comfortable. Moving helps healing.
"The precautions are for life." Many are for about 6 weeks. Your surgeon will tell you when you can stop.
"The operation fixes everything." It fixes the joint. Your muscles still need rebuilding after years of hip pain.
"You can never exercise again." Many people return to swimming, cycling, golf, dancing and gym work.
🧪 How we assess you before and after hip replacement
Your first session lasts 60 minutes, in clinic or at home, so there's time to assess properly and start treatment the same day.
Your story (10 to 15 minutes). Your surgery date and approach, your precautions, how you're managing at home, and what you want to get back to.
Safety screen. We check your wound, calf and general health for the warning signs listed on this page.
Walking assessment. How you walk with or without aids, including the timed up-and-go test.
Leg strength test. The 30-second sit-to-stand test, which we repeat to track progress.
Balance tests. Single-leg stance and step tests, done safely and within your precautions.
Hip movement and strength. Gentle range of movement within your precautions, and hip strength, including the Trendelenburg test.
Your plan. In plain English: what to work on this week, which aids to use, and how many sessions we expect.
We also ask you to fill in the Oxford Hip Score, a short questionnaire that tracks your recovery. You'll leave with the first two or three exercises of your custom rehab plan.
🛠️ Hip replacement rehab at Athos Physio
Every plan moves through four phases. How fast you move depends on your surgeon's advice and how your hip responds, not on the calendar.
Prehab (6 to 8 weeks before surgery). Go into surgery as strong and prepared as possible. Hip and leg strength, walking, practising with crutches, setting up your home.
Protect and move (weeks 0 to 6). Walk safely, manage pain and swelling, keep to your precautions. Heel slides, buttock squeezes, sit-to-stand, walking with aids, stairs practice. Home visits if needed.
Strengthen (weeks 6 to 12). Walk without aids and build strength. Bridges, side-lying hip lifts, step-ups, balance work, longer walks, an exercise bike.
Return to activity (3 months onwards). Get back to work, hobbies and sport. Split squats, sled pushes, gym work, walking distance, swimming, cycling or golf.
Hip precautions
Many surgeons ask you to follow precautions for about 6 weeks to lower the risk of dislocation. Common ones include:
Don't bend your hip past 90 degrees, or bend down to touch your feet
Don't cross your legs or move the operated leg across your body
Don't twist the operated leg inwards
Avoid low chairs, low toilet seats and chairs without arms
Sleep on your back with a pillow between your legs, unless told otherwise
Your surgeon's advice comes first. Some approaches have different or fewer precautions.
Your home programme
In the first weeks, your exercises take 10 to 15 minutes, 3 or 4 times a day. Later, it's 4 or 5 exercises, about 20 minutes, most days. Most people need 6 to 10 sessions over 3 months, often starting with home visits.
What helps recovery after a hip replacement?
NICE's joint replacement guideline (NG157) covers care before and after hip replacement. Its draft recommendations advise giving people exercise advice that can be done before and after surgery.
The draft also advises starting rehab, including getting up and walking, within 24 hours of surgery. After you go home, it advises supervised rehab if you're struggling with daily activities or self-directed exercise isn't working. NICE has also asked for more research into rehab started at least 2 months before surgery.
The NHS advises walking every day, starting your physio exercises early, and avoiding sitting still for long periods.
Recommended: exercise advice and strengthening before surgery; getting up and walking soon after surgery; a daily home exercise programme; supervised rehab if you're struggling at home.
Less useful: long periods of rest or sitting; stopping exercises once the wound has healed; high-impact sport, such as running or jumping, without your surgeon's agreement.
⏱️ How long does it take to recover from a hip replacement?
Going home from hospital: typical timing: 1 to 3 days after surgery.
Stitches or clips removed: typical timing: about 10 to 14 days.
Walking with one stick or no aids: typical timing: often 4 to 8 weeks.
Hip precautions eased: typical timing: often about 6 weeks, if your surgeon agrees.
Driving: typical timing: at least 6 weeks, once you can do an emergency stop.
Back to work: typical timing: around 6 weeks for many jobs. Longer for physical work.
Follow-up with your surgeon: typical timing: 6 to 12 weeks.
Swimming, cycling, golf: typical timing: usually from about 3 months, once your surgeon agrees.
Full recovery: typical timing: several months, sometimes up to a year.
These are guides. Your surgeon's advice comes first, especially for driving and sport.
✅ Life after hip replacement
At home
Use a raised toilet seat and a firm chair with arms
Use a long-handled grabber and sock aid while precautions apply
Go up the stairs leading with your good leg, and down leading with the operated leg
Remove loose rugs and trailing cables to reduce the risk of falls
Getting back to work and driving
Most desk workers return at around 6 weeks. Physical jobs often take longer
Wait at least 6 weeks to drive, and only when you can do an emergency stop without hesitation
Tell your motor insurer before you start driving again
Getting back to the gym and sport
Swimming, cycling, golf, dancing and gym work are usually fine once you've recovered
Running, jumping and contact sports increase wear on the joint, so talk to your surgeon first
Build back gradually, adding roughly 10% more each week if your hip stays settled
Self-help
Walk every day, as far as is comfortable, and gradually go further
Raise your leg for about 30 minutes a day if your ankle swells
Keep doing your exercises, even once the wound has healed
Take painkillers as prescribed, so you can keep moving
Related conditions
Knee and hip osteoarthritis: a stiff, aching hip or knee that's worse after rest
Trochanteric bursitis: pain on the outside of the hip, worse lying on it
Post-op rehab: physio after any joint or sports surgery
Hip pain: every hip problem we treat
❓ Hip replacement recovery FAQs
🚨 Physio, GP or A&E?
Most aches and stiffness after a hip replacement are safe to manage with physio. A few warning signs need a doctor quickly. This list follows NHS guidance.
Book a physio (no GP referral needed): stiffness, weakness or a limp that isn't improving; pain on the outside of the hip, or back or knee aches as you walk more.
Call your GP urgently or 111: wound infection signs: a high temperature, feeling hot or shivery, oozing or pus, or redness, swelling or pain that's getting worse (get an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111; contact your surgical team too); DVT signs: throbbing or cramping pain, redness, warmth or swelling in the calf, thigh or hip (get an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111); clicking or popping from the hip with new pain or swelling (contact your surgical team or GP the same day).
Call 999 or go to A&E: sudden severe hip pain, the leg looks shorter or turned, and you can't take weight (call 999 or go to A&E; this may be a dislocation); pain or swelling in the leg with difficulty breathing or chest pain (possible pulmonary embolism) (call 999 or go to A&E now).
If you're ever unsure, ring us on 07475 433300 and we'll tell you honestly whether you should see us or someone else first.
Not sure if what you're feeling is normal? Book a free 15-minute call and we'll tell you honestly. Book a free call →
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Most people go home in 1 to 3 days and are walking well by 6 to 12 weeks. Full recovery takes several months.
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It can help. Getting stronger and practising with crutches before surgery can make the early weeks easier.
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Hospital physios usually get you up within a day. We can start at home within days of you leaving hospital.
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Yes. We offer home physio visits, which are often the best option in the first few weeks.
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Often between 4 and 8 weeks. Your physio and surgeon will guide you on when to step down.
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Movements to avoid while your hip heals, such as bending past 90 degrees or crossing your legs. They often last about 6 weeks.
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The NHS advises waiting at least 6 weeks. Check with your doctor and tell your insurer first.
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Usually yes, once you've recovered. Swimming, cycling, golf and gym work are often fine. Ask your surgeon about high-impact sport.
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Most people need 6 to 10 over 3 months. We'll give you an estimate at your first appointment.
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No. You can book directly with us. If you're claiming on health insurance, check with your insurer first.
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Your first 60-minute assessment and treatment is £95. Follow-up sessions are £55 for 30 minutes, £95 for 60 minutes or £135 for 90 minutes. See our price list for all fees, including home visits.
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Yes. Book a free 15-minute consultation and we'll tell you honestly whether physio is the right next step.
📍 Book hip replacement physio in Manchester city centre or at home
Athos Physio is inside F45 NQ, 77 Piccadilly, Manchester M1 2BU, a two-minute walk from Piccadilly station and Piccadilly Gardens. We're open 7am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, so you can come in before or after work.
Your first appointment is a 60-minute assessment and treatment (£95). Follow-ups are £55 for 30 minutes, £95 for 60 minutes or £135 for 90 minutes. We work with Bupa, WPA, Vitality and Aviva, and you can see all our fees on the price list.
Can't get into town? We also offer home physio visits and online physiotherapy. Not sure physio is right for you? Book a free 15-minute call and we'll talk it through.
Call or WhatsApp 07475 433300, or book online.
Other services: Physiotherapy and active rehab · Sports massage · Pregnancy and postnatal physio · Home visits · Online physio
Written by Nick Chatziviltsos, physiotherapist and founder of Athos Physio, BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy, HCPC registered. Last reviewed: November 2026.
Insurance providers we are affiliated with
Athos Physio is a full-service physiotherapy clinic
We offer injury rehabilitation, post-surgery functional strengthening, deep tissue massage and pain relief, and strength training expertise. We support you in becoming pain-free so that you can achieve a limitless life experience. If you want to speak with us before booking a session you reach out via WhatsApp, call us or email us.
We are based in Manchester city centre a couple of minutes walk from Piccadilly train station and Piccadilly Gardens Square