PEARCE Hanley has taken the first tentative steps towards his long rehabilitation from hip surgery.

The classy Brisbane Lions midfielder jumped on the AlterG (anti-gravity) treadmill on Monday to complete his first run since both hips were operated on eight weeks ago.

Hanley is not expected to see action until the second half of the season, but things could have been so much worse.

The 26-year-old was having a terrific pre-season and initially felt the pain in one hip in the lead-up to Christmas.

After the players' break, he returned to find the pain worse.

Once he got it checked out and decided to have the operation, what happened next shocked the Irishman.

"I didn't know what was wrong to be honest," Hanley told AFL.com.au.

"My back was pretty tight before Christmas, so I just thought my hips were out of whack and something that could be easily fixed.

"But once we got scanned, and to find out the severity of it, and that I had to get both hips done, it was a shock to the system.

"It wasn't that bad at the start, they said I was getting some bone shaved off and tidy up the cartilage and give it a clean-out.

"The bad news came once the surgeon was in there, while I was being operated on. I woke up to the news I'd be out for an extra nine weeks."

What started as an 8-10-week injury had just doubled.

Once in surgery, the severity of the injury became apparent, as Hanley's cartilage had almost ground away to nothing.

After six weeks on crutches, Hanley began doing some light stationary ball skills, a bit of work on the exercise bike and some swimming, before Monday's running breakthrough.

The County Mayo product is thankful for one thing though – that his younger brother was right there to help him.

Cian Hanley was signed by the Lions as an international rookie late last year but is in rehabilitation from an ACL injury suffered in the All Ireland under-18 semi-final.

"My poor brother was my little housemaid," Pearce said.

"He was cooking and cleaning after me – I was lucky to have him here."

Now back on his own two feet, the Lions star is looking forward to taking bigger strides towards playing again.

"I've been trying to push the boundaries, but at the same time I don't want to re-injure it," he said.

"Now that games have come around I've got itchy feet."