Lower Limb Fracture (Hip, Knee, Ankle)

What to Expect When You Visit Our Physiotherapist for Lower Limb Fractures

When you visit us after a lower limb fracture, we assess your walking, strength, balance, joint movement, and confidence. Treatment includes progressive weight-bearing as appropriate, strengthening, balance retraining, and gait re-education to help you return to safe and independent mobility.

Time to favourable outcome

3–12 months typical

StartMedian: 6 monthsFavourable outcome
100%75%50%25%0%
0mo3mo6mo9mo12mo

Results Comparison

Physio Recovery Rate

With Physio75% – 90%
No Treatment (Spontaneous)50% – 70%
How Does the Treatment Work?
Manual TherapyAssists joint mobility and early stiffness management.
Exercise RehabRebuilds strength, balance, gait and safe weight-bearing capacity.

Sustained Relief (%)

3 / 6 / 12 months
3 months62%
6 months78%
12 months88%

Factors Influencing Recovery Speed

What speeds up recovery

Safe Weight-Bearing Progression

• Gradual loading helps restore walking confidence. • Progress should match healing stage and medical guidance.

Strength + Balance Training

• Stronger legs and better balance reduce falls risk. • Consistent exercise supports independent mobility.

What slows down recovery

Prolonged Immobility

• Too much rest can reduce strength and confidence. • Low activity levels often make walking recovery slower.

Fear of Weight-Bearing

• Avoiding load for too long may delay normal gait. • Poor balance can keep daily movement feeling unsafe.

How do we estimate outcomes?

We combine insights from published research, clinical guidelines, practitioner experience, and typical rehabilitation timelines to map out common recovery trajectories. The ranges presented are general estimates only and should not be interpreted as guaranteed results.

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Important Disclaimer

This tool is intended for visualisation and general educational purposes only, to help clients gain a broad understanding of some common conditions managed by our physiotherapists. It is based on practitioner experience, clinical reasoning, and selected published research.

It does not account for individual circumstances, including your specific condition, medical history, imaging findings, medications, surgical history, lifestyle, or other personal factors. Recovery can vary significantly between individuals.

Our physiotherapy services are not a substitute for medical care provided by your doctor or specialist. You should always follow the advice and treatment plan recommended by your medical practitioner, and consult them directly for guidance specific to your situation.