• Reference Number: HEY1599/2025
• Departments: Physiotherapy, Therapies
• Last Updated: 30 September 2025

Introduction

This leaflet has been produced to give you general information about your recovery following a recent hip injection and referral for physiotherapy. It is not intended to replace the discussion between you and your doctor but may act as a starting point for discussion. If after reading you have any concerns or require further explanation, please discuss this with a member of the healthcare team caring for you.

What is a post-hip injection rehabilitation plan?

Following your recent hip injection and consultation with the Orthopaedic Department, you have been referred for physiotherapy to support your recovery and have been placed on the waiting list for an appointment.

While you wait for your physiotherapy appointment, you can begin gentle home exercises 2 or 3 days after your injection, once post-injection discomfort or flare-up has settled. These exercises are designed to maintain movement, reduce stiffness, and begin improving your hip functions.

Exercise Guide

Hip Abduction Side lying

Lie on your side with your head supported. Bend the lower leg. Lift the top leg a small amount (about a third of the way up), keeping your leg in line with your body. Do not move the leg forwards. Do this exercise 5 to 10 times, repeat 1 to 2 times, do once or twice a day, hold each movement for 5 seconds.

Alternatively, you can do this exercise in standing (see next)

Standing Hip Abduction

Stand upright and hold onto a chair. Move your leg out to the side without lifting your pelvis. Slowly return to the starting position. Do this exercise 5 to 10 times, repeat 1 to 2 times, do once or twice a day, hold each movement for 5 seconds.

Glute Bridge

Lie on your back with your knees bent. Tighten your buttocks and lift your hips until your body is in a straight line. Slowly lower back down. Do this exercise 5 to 10 times, repeat 1 to 2 times, do once or twice a day, hold each movement for 5 seconds.

Partial Squat

Stand holding a worktop or counter. Keep your back straight and your heels on the floor. Bend your knees slightly into a small squat, keeping your hips above knee level. Do this exercise 5 to 10 times, repeat 1 to 2 times, do once or twice a day, hold each movement for 5 seconds.

Active Hip Flexion and Extension

Stand on one leg and hold onto a stable surface. Swing the other leg forwa4ds and backwards, keeping the knee straight and your body steady. Do this exercise 5 to 10 times repeat 1 to 2 times, do once or twice a day, hold each movement for 5 seconds.

All photos of exercises and instructions with kind permission of Physiotec/Wibbi

Important Notes

• It is normal to experience a temporary flare-up of symptoms following the injection. If this occurs, we recommend rest, applying ice (Apply ice locally over the area ensuring the ice is wrapped in a towel and not in direct contact with your skin. Apply x 10 to 15mins and check skin halfway through to ensure of no adverse reaction/ice burn) and avoiding strenuous activity.
• If your symptoms worsen or do not settle within a few days, or if you develop redness, swelling, or fever, please contact your GP.
• You will be contacted when an appointment becomes available. Please note that physiotherapy waiting times may vary depending on service demand.

Who to contact?

If you have any concerns or your symptoms become unmanageable, please contact the appropriate service:

• Patients with an East Riding GP: City Health Care Partnership (CHCP) Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Team Tel: 01377 208300
• Patients with a Hull GP who are still under the care of the orthopaedic consultant: Physiotherapy Department, Hull Royal Infirmary Tel: 01482 674880
• Patients with a Hull GP who are no longer under the orthopaedic Team: Healthshare Tel: 01482 300003

What will happen next?

You will continue to be on the waiting list for physiotherapy and will be contacted when an appointment becomes available. In the meantime, the exercise guide can help you begin your recovery process at home.

Should you require further advice

Please do not hesitate to contact your physiotherapy provider using the number listed above

This leaflet was produced by the MSK Physiotherapy Department, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NSH Trust and will be reviewed in September 2028.

Your feedback matters to us…

To ensure we deliver a safe and quality service and to help us understand the experience you have of the care you receive from our staff we would value your thoughts about the service you received.

You may be contacted as part of our quality assurance programme which is where we visit our teams and staff and talk to them about the care they provide to our patients or at any time during or after you have needed our services.

To collect this feedback, we would contact you using the registered telephone number we hold in your care record. This feedback will be strictly anonymous and whilst we will share the feedback as part of the process, we will not share any details which may identify you.

We will never ask you any personal questions about your health during these telephone calls.

If you do not wish to speak to us, please say this when we call, we do not want you to feel pressured.