Your hip joint contains small fluid filled sacs called bursa. They act as cushions so that you can move without causing friction between the bones and surrounding tissue. Bursitis is an inflammation of the bursa sacs. Hip bursitis can cause pain and stiffness. To help manage your symptoms you will need to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. It will be important to keep your hip muscles strong and flexible to take pressure off of the joint. While there are some general hip exercises for bursitis, you should always check with your doctor first so you do not aggravate your condition.
Knee to Chest Stretch
To help control the symptoms of hip bursitis, you will need to avoid exercises that make your condition worse, states the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. However, it will be important to gently stretch the muscles of the hip. Muscles that are tight can pull on the joint and contribute to any pain and stiffness you may have. The knee to chest stretch can loosen both the back and hip area.
Lie on the floor with both knees bent. Hold on to the under side of one of your knees and gently squeeze your knee towards your chest. Do this slowly until you feel a pull but not pain. Hold for a slow thirty second count. Release slowly and repeat on the other side. Try to relax your hip a little more with each exhale. This stretch can be done daily to help keep the hip joint loose.
Side Leg Lifts
According to the American College of Rheumatology, strengthening the muscles around the affected joint will help to correct muscular imbalances that may be contributing to your symptoms. Stronger muscles will also be better able to support you in your daily activities. Side leg lifts can help to build strength in the outer hip muscles. Stand up straight and hold a chair or counter for balance. Lift your right leg out to the side as high as you can without tipping the body or causing pain. Then slowly lower your leg down. To get deeper stretch in the muscle, turn your foot in slightly and focus on pressing out with your heel. Try for 8 to 12 repetitions on each leg. To fatigue the muscle, do all repetitions on one leg at a time. However, if that is too painful, you may alternate legs. To make the exercise more challenging, you may wear ankle weights. This exercise can be done daily to help maintain hip strength.
Walking
The Mayo Clinic states that due to the stiffness that can occur with hip bursitis, it is important to not sit for too long. Being sedentary can make your symptoms worse. Throughout the day, take breaks with some short walks to keep the hip joint moving. In addition to reducing stiffness, a walking program can also help you to lose weight. The Cleveland Clinic claims that weight loss is often part of the treatment program for hip bursitis. The less weight you are carrying, the less stress is placed on the hip. To lose weight you need to aim for at least thirty minutes of moderate exercise such as brisk walking on most days of the week. You can break this up into several shorter sessions and then gradually build up to one longer session.
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