Hip > Stress Fractures > Treatments

   Non-Surgical Treatment

Rehabilitation

Physical therapy is crucial to help strengthen the muscles around your hip and to help ensure your hip regains a full range of motion. Range of motion is extremely important. Movement may be painful at first, but it is important to avoid stiffening in your hip. For the first few days, your physical therapist may help you move your hip in different directions to stretch out the joint. You typically avoid bending your hip to the ends of its range of motion until pain decreases. Weight bearing is usually delayed until X–rays show that your bones have healed. Full weight bearing may not occur for two or three months. However, you should begin moving around with the aid of crutches as soon as possible. Water therapy can be very beneficial when recovering from stress fractures. Rehab progresses to resistive exercises – those involving weights – to keep the muscles around your hip strong. Patients under age 65 should be able to return to sports and activities at full strength in six weeks to three months. Patients over age 65 may have more difficulty returning to activities and restoring full health to their hips after a stress fracture. Your physician may recommend that you avoid repetitive stress activities like long distance running.

Once your hip stress fracture has healed, building muscle strength around your hip can help you avoid further injury. You also may consider training with a physical therapist or coach to increase your balance and coordination, which can help decrease the chances of accidental falls. If your physician feels you are at risk for future femoral neck fractures, you may be instructed to cut back or avoid repetitive stress activities like long distance running. Physicians generally recommend cross–training after a stress fracture to avoid putting the same type of stress on your hips every day. You should alternate your running workouts with cycling, swimming, or other cardiovascular activities. Slowly increase the intensity and duration of your workouts. Try to avoid drastic increases in your athletic activities. Another way to help prevent further hip injuries is to learn to avoid stressing your hip during daily activities. After a hip stress fracture, take it easy on your hips during the day whenever possible to save them for activities and exercise. Avoid stairs when there is an elevator, take the shortest path when walking, and consider wearing athletic shoes designed to absorb shock. In general, you should avoid participating in activities in old, worn–out shoes. Running shoes typically wear out after 250 to 300 miles of running. Running on softer surfaces, like grass or cushioned tracks, may also decrease your risk or recurring hip stress fractures. If your stress fracture was caused by anatomical problems, like differences in your leg length or twisting in your shinbone, your physician may prescribe orthotic devices to wear in your shoes. Orthotics can help properly transfer weight through your hips and provide you with a more normal stride.