By Dr. Shayne Kelly, DO — Fellowship-Trained Sports Medicine Surgeon · Tri-City Orthopedics, Kennewick, WA
For patients recovering from hip arthroscopy — labral repair, FAI correction, or both — what the crutch weeks are for, the milestones that matter, and how your hip earns its way back to sport.
Educational information, not medical advice. This is not a substitute for the specific instructions Dr. Kelly and your physical therapist give you. Your timeline depends on your surgery, your body, and your progress. Follow your own care team's directions. In an emergency, call 911.
The short version
Most patients return to sport somewhere around 4 to 6 months after hip arthroscopy, with full comfort continuing to build for up to a year. The early weeks protect the repair while it heals; the later months rebuild the strength and control your hip needs under load. Recovery is criteria-based, not calendar-based — you move to the next phase when your hip earns it, not when a date arrives.
The phases below are typical ranges, not promises. Dr. Kelly adjusts the plan for what was actually done in your hip — labral repair versus reshaping alone, the quality of the tissue, and how your hip responds. Your own protocol — the one your care team gives you — always wins.
Phase-by-phase: what recovery actually looks like
Tap each phase to expand it. You advance when you hit the milestones — not when the calendar says so.
Phase 1 · Weeks 0–2 — Protect the repair
Goals
Protect the labral repair and reshaped bone while healing begins
Keep the hip moving gently — stiffness is the enemy, but so is forcing it
Manage swelling and discomfort
Milestones to hit
Using crutches with the weight-bearing limits your protocol sets — typically around 2–6 weeks depending on what was done
Gentle stationary bike with no resistance, often started within the first days per protocol
Pain controlled and trending down
Sample PT-guided work
Gentle circumduction and passive motion within protected ranges
Quad sets, glute sets, ankle pumps
Upright no-resistance cycling for motion, not effort
Precautions
No forced hip flexion, deep squatting, or pivoting on the leg
Respect the crutch plan — coming off early is the most common self-inflicted setback
Phase 2 · Weeks 2–6 — Motion & gait
Goals
Wean off crutches per protocol and normalize walking
Restore comfortable range of motion without provoking the repair
Wake up the glutes and core — the hip's support system
Milestones to hit
Walking without a limp on level ground
Motion progressing steadily without sharp pinching
Daily activities — sitting, stairs, car — increasingly comfortable
Sample PT-guided work
Progressive bike work; pool walking where available
Glute bridges, clamshells, gentle core work
Gait drills and balance work
Precautions
Hip flexor irritation is the classic speed bump of this phase — pushing through it usually prolongs it. Tell your PT
Phase 3 · Weeks 6–12 — Strength foundation
Goals
Build real strength — glutes, core, and the deep hip stabilizers
Single-leg control without the pelvis dropping
Full, comfortable range for daily life
Milestones to hit
Single-leg stance and squat patterns with level pelvis
Stairs, hills, and longer walks without flare-ups
Strength work progressing session over session
Sample PT-guided work
Progressive resistance — bridges to single-leg work, leg press, step-ups
Rotational control and core stability
Elliptical and bike conditioning
Precautions
No running or impact yet — strength comes before load
Phase 4 · Months 3–4 — Impact & running
Goals
Return to straight-line jogging — only after strength criteria are met
Reintroduce controlled agility at moderate speed
Milestones to hit
Jogging with no limp, no pinch, and no next-day flare
Ladder and cone drills under control
Continued single-leg strength gains
Sample PT-guided work
Walk-jog progressions
Beginning plyometrics with double-leg landings
Heavier strength work — this phase is still mostly strength
Precautions
Deep hip flexion under load and aggressive cutting stay off the menu a while longer
Phase 5 · Months 4–6+ — Return to sport
Goals
Sport-specific movement at increasing speed and complexity
Pass a return-to-sport assessment — strength symmetry, movement quality, and confidence under fatigue
Milestones to hit
Change-of-direction and sport drills at near game speed without symptoms
Strength approaching the other side
Controlled practice before full competition
Precautions
Most athletes return around 4–6 months; deep-flexion sports — hockey goalies, catchers, dancers — often run longer. Dr. Kelly clears you based on your hip, your sport, and your testing
What was done inside matters. A labral repair, FAI bone reshaping, or both — each changes the early precautions, crutch time, and pace of progression. Microfracture or cartilage work slows the early phases considerably. Dr. Kelly sets your specifics at your post-op visits.
When to call the office — do not wait
Call Tri-City Orthopedics at (509) 460-5588 right away if you notice any of these:
Signs of infection: fever over 101°F, spreading redness, warmth, or drainage from the incisions
Possible blood clot: calf pain or tenderness, new swelling in the leg — and call 911 for chest pain or trouble breathing
Numbness in the groin or foot that does not resolve within the timeframe your care team described
Sharp catching or locking in the hip, or pain and swelling getting worse instead of better
In an emergency, call 911 first.
Take this guide with you
Print this guide or scan to reopen it on your phone. Dr. Kelly can hand this page to you in clinic — the QR code brings you right back here.
Typically around 2–6 weeks, set by what was done inside the hip — a labral repair or cartilage work usually means longer protection than reshaping alone. Your protocol sets the number; coming off early is the most common setback.
Why am I on a bike so soon after surgery?
Gentle, no-resistance cycling — often started within days per protocol — keeps the joint moving and nourished while it heals. It is motion, not exercise: the goal is a quiet, mobile hip, not a workout.
What is this new pain in the front of my hip?
Hip flexor irritation is the most common speed bump of early recovery — the muscle works overtime while everything else heals. It typically settles with activity adjustments, not by pushing through it. Tell your PT so they can modify the plan.
When can I run again?
Straight-line jogging typically starts somewhere around months 3–4 — after strength and single-leg control criteria are met, not on a date. Cutting and sport movements come later.
When can I return to my sport?
Most athletes return around 4–6 months; sports demanding deep hip flexion often run longer. Clearance is based on strength symmetry, movement quality, and how your hip handles sport-specific load — not the calendar.
Questions about your recovery?
Schedule a follow-up with Dr. Kelly at Tri-City Orthopedics.
