If the hip feels stiff and hurts when you walk or stand up, NHS inform says getting movement and strength back helps recovery. The site, run by NHS 24 in Scotland, sets out 4 exercises for hip muscle and joint problems: a lying hip lift (bridge), a leg lift behind and a leg lift to the side holding a chair, and a sit-to-stand where your bottom just touches a chair. Keep pain within 0 to 5 out of 10, aim for a maximum of 2 sets of 15, and get advice if there is no improvement within 6 weeks. Here is the page as written.
1. Bridge, leg lift behind, leg lift to the side, chair squat — the 4 exercises; the 3 standing ones with a chair to hand.
2. Start at 2 to 3; 2 sets of 8, 2 to 3 times a day; at most 2 sets of 15.
3. Pain within 0 to 5; stop if worse or new pain; advice if not better within 6 weeks.
First — NHS inform
| Topic | What NHS inform says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Who for | Useful for anyone with a new hip problem. If you have been diagnosed with a condition or had recent surgery, follow your healthcare professional’s advice | After surgery, their advice comes first |
| Why | Getting movement and strength back supports tissue healing and gets you moving. You may not return to usual levels at once and progress may be slow, but a gradual return to normal activities gives the best short and long-term results | — |
| At first | Listen to your pain, especially early on. Symptoms may rise slightly at first but should ease with regular practice. If there is discomfort, prescribed medication from your GP or pharmacist may help you keep going | In Korea, ask a doctor or pharmacist (our gloss) |
| Safety | Somewhere safe, only if you feel well enough. If you start to feel unwell, stop immediately | — |
The 4 hip exercises — NHS inform
| Exercise | What NHS inform says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bridge | Lying on your back, arms by your sides, knees pointing to the ceiling. Using your arms for support, slowly push your hips up, hold a few seconds, slowly lower. Up and down is one repetition. A bed is a good place | Push through the hips rather than arching the back (our gloss) |
| 2. Leg lift behind | Standing, a chair in front for support. Keeping one leg straight, lift the other leg behind you, hold a few seconds, return. One repetition each lift | — |
| 3. Leg lift to the side | Standing, a hand on a chair or wall if you like. Lift the leg furthest from the chair out to the side, keeping it straight. Hold a few seconds, lower. Out and in is one repetition | Keep the trunk upright (our gloss) |
| 4. Sit-to-stand (chair squat) | Start standing with a chair behind you. Slowly bend your knees until your bottom touches the seat; arms out in front for balance if needed. Don’t sit down completely — just touch, then stand. Bend and stand is one repetition | Put the chair against a wall so it can’t slide (our gloss) |
We named the exercises. The page has a video for each, but on the day we checked the video titles did not display, so we named them from the written movements.
How much pain is OK, how many — NHS inform
| Topic | What NHS inform says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Pain score | Rate pain out of 10 (0 = no pain, 10 = the worst you have ever had). 0 to 3 minimal, 4 to 5 acceptable, 6 to 10 excessive | — |
| During | Keep pain within 0 to 5. Above that: fewer repetitions, a slower movement, or more rest between movements | Changing just one may be enough (our reading) |
| After | Exercise should not make your existing hip pain worse overall. New exercises can cause short-term muscle pain, but it should ease quickly and be no worse the morning after | The next morning is the test |
| Topic | What NHS inform says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Start | 2 to 3 repetitions at a time | — |
| Often | Small amounts through the day — for example every hour | — |
| Build | As it gets easier, add 1 or 2 repetitions every few days | “A few” has no number on the page |
| Sets | As you manage more, break them into sets — more at a time, less often. This builds strength. For example: 8 repetitions, rest a minute, another set of 8, 2 to 3 times a day | 2 sets of 8 = 16 a session; 32 to 48 a day at 2 to 3 sessions (our sum) |
| Aim | Increase over time, to a maximum of 2 sets of 15 | 30 a session at most (our sum) |
In numbers, the page’s example is 2 sets of 8 = 16 a session, 32 to 48 a day at 2 to 3 sessions; the aim of 2 sets of 15 is 30 a session (our sums). You can do all the exercises together or start with one or two and add more.
To count how many days it takes to reach your target, use the planner in building up exercise when it hurts.
Three sums — our example
| Case (our example) | To 15 a set | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Start at 2, add 1 every 3 days | 13 increases → 39 days | “A few days” taken as 3 (our example) |
| Start at 3, add 2 every 3 days | 6 increases → 18 days | 3 → 5 → … → 13 → 15 |
| The 6-week mark | 6 weeks = 42 days | Get advice if not better by then |
When to stop and when to get advice — NHS inform
| Topic | What NHS inform says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Stop | If the exercises make symptoms worse or cause new pain | — |
| Advice | If your hip pain gets worse while following the advice, talk to a healthcare professional | In Korea, orthopaedics or rehabilitation medicine (our gloss) |
| 6 weeks | If it has not improved within 6 weeks, talk to a healthcare professional | 6 weeks = 42 days (our sum) |
Hip and glute stretches are in hip and glute stretches.
Checklist
- ☐ A new hip problem? Diagnosed or after surgery — your clinician’s advice first
- ☐ The 3 standing exercises (2–4) with a chair to hand; hold a chair or wall for 2 and 3
- ☐ Chair squat: just touch the seat, don’t sit
- ☐ Start at 2 to 3; in sets 8, rest a minute, 8, 2 to 3 times a day; at most 2 sets of 15
- ☐ Pain 0 to 5; stop if worse; advice if not better within 6 weeks
Questions that remain
What about after hip surgery?
The page says people who have had recent hip surgery or have a diagnosed condition should follow their healthcare professional. NHS inform has separate pages for recovery from a hip fracture and for hip osteoarthritis, which we didn’t read this time.
How long is “a few seconds”?
The page says “hold for a few seconds” for the bridge and leg lifts and gives no number.
Sources
- NHS inform (NHS 24, Scotland) — Exercises for hip problems — source (no update date shown on the page; checked 27 October 2026). Who it is for, why, at first, safety; 4 exercises (bridge, leg lift behind, leg lift to the side, sit-to-stand touching a chair); the 0 to 10 scale and 0 to 5; pain after; 2 to 3, every hour, 1 or 2 every few days; the set example (8, a minute, 8, 2 to 3 times a day); at most 2 sets of 15; when to stop; 6 weeks.
- Not read. The 4 videos (titles and lengths did not display); the self-management page (linked only); the site’s hip fracture recovery, hip osteoarthritis and greater trochanteric pain syndrome exercise pages.
- What we added. The exercise names (the page’s video titles did not display, so we named each movement), the “worth noting” column, “our sum”, and the Korean care gloss.
Where to check further
- Orthopaedics or rehabilitation medicine — no better after 6 weeks, or worse.
- A physiotherapist — form and how many.
Written on 27 October 2026. The content is from NHS inform; the glosses are ours.
