Physiotherapy After a Fracture

At a glance

What this guide can help you understand

What to expect from physiotherapy after a fracture, including protection, stiffness management, strength, and return to daily tasks.

What should you bring to a consultation?

Share your main concern, when it started, what affects it, current medicines, and any reports or precautions you have been given.

See our clinical assessment approach

When should you pause and seek medical advice?

Pause routine exercise and seek medical advice for sudden severe change, new neurological symptoms, breathing difficulty, chest pain, major injury, or feeling acutely unwell.

This guide is educational and does not replace diagnosis or urgent care.

Fracture rehabilitation depends on the bone involved, alignment, fixation, soft-tissue injury, healing on imaging, and the restrictions set by the orthopaedic team. Physiotherapy must respect those restrictions; strengthening or weight-bearing is progressed only when medically appropriate.

Stages of Rehabilitation

During protection, treatment may focus on swelling control, safe transfers, maintaining movement in unaffected joints, and using a prescribed sling, brace, walker, or crutches. Once movement is allowed, the focus expands to restoring range, reducing stiffness, rebuilding muscle, and relearning useful tasks.

Making Progress Safely

Progress can be measured through movement, grip or leg strength, walking distance, stairs, dressing, work, and confidence. Pain, swelling, wound changes, altered sensation, or sudden loss of function should be reported rather than pushed through. A home visit can identify barriers such as stairs, low chairs, or unsafe bathroom transfers.

Do not remove a cast, change weight-bearing, or begin resistance exercises without the treating medical team’s instructions.

Textbook basis: Principles are synthesised from O’Sullivan’s Physical Rehabilitation, Kisner & Colby’s Therapeutic Exercise, and Goodman & Fuller’s Pathology for the Physical Therapist.

Clinical sources & further reading

These public resources provide general clinical guidance. They do not replace an assessment or an individual treatment plan.

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Safety-first guidanceEducation is clearly separated from diagnosis.

Care confirmed firstLocation, fit, and availability are checked.

Journal guideLumbar Slipped Disc: L3–L4, L4–L5, L5–S1 Symptoms and RehabilitationA deep, safety-first guide to lumbar slipped-disc symptoms, common lower-back pain patterns, assessment, imaging, rehabilitation, and when urgent medical review is needed.Read the guide Journal guideRotator Cuff Repair Rehabilitation: A Stage-by-Stage Recovery PlanRotator cuff surgery is followed by months of staged physiotherapy. This guide explains the usual rehabilitation phases, protection of the repair, and questions to discuss with your surgeon and physiotherapist.Read the guide Journal guideHip Replacement Recovery: A Homecare Physiotherapy GuideAfter total hip replacement, homecare physiotherapy can support safe mobility, transfers, and daily activities while you follow the surgical team's precautions.Read the guide Relevant carePost-surgery rehabilitationReview how recovery can be paced around medical instructions and daily goals.Explore care Direct next stepDiscuss your recovery planShare your location, concern, and preferred format so the team can confirm the right option.Book an appointment

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Physiotherapy After a Fracture: Regaining Range, Strength, and Function