Whether you've injured your hip or undergone some type of orthopedic procedure, such as partial or full hip replacement or resurfacing, a number of exercises can and should be done to increase strength and range of motion. Such exercises can help you resume activities and mobility as soon as possible, says the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). Your doctor may suggest that you engage in exercises that benefit your hip joint between 20 and 30 minutes a day.
Abduction Exercise
An excellent exercise to help with side-to-side range of motion in the hip is to lie on your back on a bed or the floor with your hands down by your sides and your legs relaxed. Your legs should be lined up with your shoulders. This will exercise the hip joint without placing a great deal of weight on it, allowing you to adjust how high or how far you move the joint.
To perform an abduction exercise, gently sweep your right foot along the bed or floor toward your left leg until you touch your right foot to the left foot. If you're able, extend your foot to a starting point further from your body, but do this gradually to prevent pain. Repeat on the other side, performing 10 repetitions several times a day, suggests the AAOS.
Leg Raises
Leg raises help exercise the hip joint and provide up-and-down range of motion. You can start this exercise by lying on a bed or the floor, whichever is most comfortable and accessible to you. Placing your feet close together, slowly tighten the muscles in the thigh of your right leg, trying to keep your knee straight. Then, moving slowly, lift your right leg off the bed about an inch, or up to several inches, but only if you don't feel pain or discomfort. Hold the lifted leg for a count of 10 and then slowly, and with control, lower it back to the bed.
You can repeat this exercise on the other leg if you wish. The AAOS states that individuals may perform several repetitions, as long as they don't feel pain or push the repetitions beyond the point of fatigue.
Range-of-Motion Exercise
Stretching is a good range-of-motion exercise if you're experiencing pain, stiffness or lack of easy motion in one of your hips. Such exercise increases joint motion, according to Arthritis-treatment-and-relief.com. One easy range-of-motion exercise involves lying on your back on a floor or bed. Then pull the knee of the affected leg in toward your chest and clasp your shin or knee with your hands, wherever it's comfortable for you to reach. Gently and slowly, rotate the knee in a counter-clockwise motion, making small circles while keeping your lower back and pelvis tucked under and pressed into the floor. You can repeat this exercise several times a day.
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