Hip replacement rehab in Ancaster
Physiotherapy After Hip Replacement
Rehab after a new hip focuses on walking and everyday moves, within your surgeon's plan. We see you one on one in Ancaster.
First visit free for new patients · Ground floor, no stairs at the entrance · Open evenings and Sundays
- 4.9 on Google
- Registered Physiotherapist
- No Referral Needed
- Direct Billing Available
- Free Parking
Getting Stronger Before Surgery
Prehab means exercising before surgery. If you're waiting for a new hip, you can start now.
What the research says. In 2023, researchers combined 48 trials (3,570 people) that tested prehab before bone and joint surgery. Before a hip replacement, prehab improved quality of life and hip muscle strength before surgery. The review rated this evidence as moderate. Results after surgery were less certain.
Did arthritis lead to your surgery? Our osteoarthritis page covers exercise for arthritis. For other hip problems, see hip physiotherapy.
Hip Precautions Depend on Your Surgery
Hip precautions are rules about how you move while your new hip heals. They depend on how your surgeon did the operation.
- Posterior approach (from the back). Common rules: don't bend your hip past 90 degrees. When you sit, keep your knees at or below your hips. Don't cross your legs. Skip low chairs. Rules often last about 6 weeks.
- Anterior approach (from the front). Many people have few or no hip rules after this approach.
- Dislocation means the ball of the new hip slips out of its socket. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) says it's uncommon. The risk is highest in the first few months.
- What the research says. A 2023 review of 9 studies (8,835 people) found little or no difference in early dislocations with or without rules after the posterior approach. The evidence was weak.
Always follow your own surgeon's list.
Hip Replacement Recovery, Week by Week
Healing speed differs from person to person. Use this as a rough guide. Your surgeon's plan comes first.
| Time after surgery | Typical goals |
|---|---|
| Weeks 0 to 2 | Short walks with your walker, crutches or cane. Follow any hip rules your surgeon gave you. Do the home exercises you're taught. |
| Weeks 2 to 6 | Walk a little farther each week. Plan on a walking aid for at least a few weeks, and switch to a cane when your team says. AAOS says most people get back to light daily activities in 3 to 6 weeks. |
| Weeks 6 to 12 | Your surgeon may ease your hip rules around 6 weeks. Build strength for stairs and longer walks. |
| 3 to 6 months | Keep building strength and balance. Ask your surgeon about golf or swimming. Golfers with a new joint took a little over 4 months, on average, to return in a 2023 review. |
| 6 to 12 months | Keep doing your home program. Most surgeons advise against running and jumping. |
Based on AAOS, Healthwise (a patient health library) and the research below.
Everyday Moves With a New Hip
Check each tip against your own hip rules.
Sleeping
A common tip: sleep on your back with your legs slightly apart, or on your side with a pillow between your knees, for about 6 weeks.
Getting in and out of a car
Move slowly, and keep the leg with the new hip from crossing the middle of your body. On car rides, stop at least once an hour to walk around.
Stairs
Going up, lead with your other leg. Going down, put your crutches or cane on the lower step first, then the leg with the new hip. Go slowly, with the lights on.
Driving and Getting Back to Activity
Driving. Your surgeon decides when you can drive. In studies that timed braking, people with a new left hip were back to normal in about 2 weeks. A small, low car can take longer. For a right hip, the side that works the pedals, it took 6 to 8 weeks.
Canada's medical guide on driving says results vary so much that a doctor should check you first. You must be able to brake hard without pain, and pain pills can affect driving.
Golf and other activities. Walking, swimming, golf, biking and dancing are on AAOS's list of realistic activities with a new hip. A 2023 review found that about 90% of golfers with a new hip returned to golf. The studies looked back in time, so it's a rough guide.
How Hip Rehab Works at Interlink
Bring your hip rules and hospital exercise sheets. We work within them, as with all our rehab after surgery.
Free first visitFree
A full assessment (about 60 minutes) plus your first treatment, free for new patients. It's never billed to your insurer, and there's no obligation to continue.
Your rules, then your goals
We go over your hip rules and check your walking and strength. Then we set goals together.
One on one visits
Follow-ups are $95 for 30 minutes, one on one with a registered physiotherapist. Visits can include hands on care and exercise in our on-site gym.
OHIP Funded Rehab and Private Physio
After a hip replacement in Ontario, many hospitals connect you with funded physio. Here are your options.
| Option | Who it's for | Cost to you |
|---|---|---|
| Bundled care | People having a hip or knee replacement. Your hospital links you with a clinic that takes part. | No cost |
| Community Physiotherapy Clinics | People 65 or older, 19 or under, or on Ontario Works or ODSP. Also anyone who needs physio after an overnight hospital stay or day surgery in the last 12 months. No referral needed. | Paid by the province if you qualify |
| Physio at home | People who need physio at home and qualify for home care, through Ontario Health atHome. | Paid by the province if you qualify |
| Private physio, like Interlink | Anyone, with no referral. Book before surgery, or during or after funded rehab, including evenings and Sundays. | You or your insurance plan |
Interlink is a private clinic and does not bill OHIP. The first visit is free for new patients, and follow-ups are $95. We bill most insurers directly. More in our guide: Does OHIP cover physiotherapy?
When to Get Help Right Away
Call 911 or go to the ER for anything in the first list. For the second list, call your surgeon's office or see a doctor the same day.
Call 911 or go to the ER now
- Chest pain, or new shortness of breath
- Coughing up blood, or passing out
- Signs your hip is out of place: severe pain and you can't stand, a leg that looks crooked, or you can't bend or straighten your leg
See a doctor first
- Calf pain, or redness or new swelling in your leg
- A temperature of 38°C or higher, or chills
- A wound that is red, swollen or draining
- Hip pain that keeps getting worse, even at rest
- Pain your pain medicine doesn't help
Physio is a good place to start
- Your surgeon has cleared you for rehab
- Your hip feels stiff or weak
- Stairs or getting in the car are still hard
- You want to get stronger before surgery
No referral needed in Ontario. If you need a doctor, we'll tell you at your first visit.
Google reviews
What Patients Say About Our Clinic
Copied word for word from Google. Names are shortened for privacy. A … means part of a longer review is left out.
Wonderful experience, … I will come back! Also clinic is clean, fresh & appointments are timely.
I came in with a workplace injury on my foot and was having trouble with mobility and pain. Dhiman was incredibly professional and passionate with his approach on my care plan. … I highly recommend him since he takes the time to listen and explain things clearly so we as clients can understand the injury and process on healing. …
Very thorough assessment. I am very pleased with the attention to details and help recieved from this clinic.
Very clean, welcoming environment.
Friendly and helpful staff.
Would definitely recommend to anyone.
Hip Replacement Rehab FAQs
How long do hip precautions last?
Often about 6 weeks, depending on how your surgery was done. Your surgeon tells you when your rules end.
How can I tell if my new hip is dislocated?
Signs include severe pain and not being able to stand, a leg that looks crooked, or a leg you can't bend or straighten. Call 911 or go to the ER.
When can I drive after a hip replacement?
Your surgeon decides. In studies that timed braking, a left hip took about 2 weeks and a right hip took 6 to 8 weeks.
When can I go back to work?
It varies. Healthwise says most people return to work 4 weeks to 4 months after surgery.
Can I golf with a new hip?
Many do. About 90% of golfers with a new hip went back to golf in a 2023 review. Check with your surgeon first.
Do I need a referral?
No. You can book physio in Ontario without a referral. Some insurance plans want a doctor's note before they pay.
Start Your Hip Rehab in Ancaster
Your first visit is free for new patients: a full assessment and your first treatment. We're on the ground floor on Mohawk Road, with free parking.
New patients only · Never billed to your insurer · No referral needed
The Research on This Page
- Punnoose A, Claydon-Mueller L, Weiss O, et al. Prehabilitation for patients undergoing orthopedic surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Network Open, 2023. Link
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). Total hip replacement. OrthoInfo. Link
- Healthwise. Hip replacement surgery (posterior): what to expect at home. Kaiser Permanente Health Encyclopedia, 2026. Link
- Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS). Anterior hip replacement. Updated 2026. Link
- Korfitsen CB, Mikkelsen LR, Mikkelsen M-L, et al. Hip precautions after posterior-approach total hip arthroplasty among patients with primary hip osteoarthritis do not influence early recovery: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Acta Orthopaedica, 2023. Link
- Canadian Medical Association. CMA Driver's Guide: determining medical fitness to operate motor vehicles, 10th edition. Musculoskeletal disabilities (arthroplasties). 2023. Link
- Robinson PG, Williamson TR, Creighton AP, et al. Rate and timing of return to golf after hip, knee, or shoulder arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2023. Link
- Government of Ontario. Get physiotherapy. Updated 2026. Link
- College of Physiotherapists of Ontario. Government-funded (OHIP) physiotherapy. Updated 2026. Link
This page gives general information. Your physiotherapist or doctor can tell you what fits your situation.
Your surgeon's hip rules come first. Funding details were checked on 23 September 2026 and can change.
Reviewed by Dhiman Patel, MScPT, registered with the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario. Last reviewed 23 September 2026.