The hip joint consists of the femur, or thigh bone of your upper leg, and the acetabulum, a concave section of the pelvis in which the top of the femur fits perfectly. Several strong muscles and connective tissues cross the hip joint, making it very stable, but it is still susceptible to injuries such as bruises, dislocations, fractures and strains, as well as debilitating conditions including arthritis and osteoporosis.
If you have hip problems, perform flexibility exercises every day and strengthening exercises several times per week as part of your treatment program. This will help alleviate pain, restore function and prevent injuries in the future, according to William Prentice, a physical therapist and author of "Essentials of Athletic Injury Management."
Bicycle Kicks
Bicycle kicks repeatedly stretch the hamstring muscles on the back on your thighs, which function to extend your hip joints. They will help treat hamstring strains caused by forceful hip flexion during activities such as landing from a jump or sprinting. Lie on your back with your legs extended and heels on the floor.
Raise both heels about 6 inches and draw your left knee toward your chest as far as possible, leaving your right leg extended. Then extend your left leg back to the starting position and draw your right knee to your chest. Continue alternating legs for 20 total reps. Pull your knees with your hands to deepen the stretch if desired.
Isometric Abduction/Adduction
If you suffer from hip problems, you may prefer isometric strengthening exercises, especially at first, because they do not involve joint motion, so are less likely to aggravate your injury than dynamic exercises. This is especially the case if you have arthritis.
This isometric exercise strengthens the muscles that abduct and adduct your legs, or spread them apart and bring them back together, respectively. Lie on your left side and stack your legs on top of each other. Lift your right leg 6 to 12 inches, and then have a partner hold your ankle. Try to lift your leg higher, but tell your partner to provide resistance for 10 seconds, so no movement actually occurs. Then try to lower your leg, but, again, have your partner resist for 10 seconds. Repeat the exercise on the opposite side.
Squats
Squats strengthen the large gluteus maximus muscle and the hamstrings, which contribute to hip extension. These are an important exercise to include in your hip rehabilitation program because you have to squat so often during normal daily activities.
Start by performing squats using only your body weight for resistance. Stand upright and squat down until your thighs are nearly parallel to the ground, and then reverse back to the starting position.
Perform six reps to start and gradually increase to 12 reps over time. After you can perform two to three sets of 12 reps easily, perform the exercise while holding dumbbells in front of your shoulders or a weighted barbell across your upper back and shoulders.
References
- "Basic Biomechanics (Fifth Edition)"; Susan J. Hall; 2007
- "Essentials of Athletic Injury Management (Seventh Edition)"; William E. Prentice, Ph.D., A.T.C., P.T.; 2008
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning (Second Edition)"; Thomas R. Baechle and Roger W. Earle; 2000
- American Council on Exercise: Side-Lying Hip Abduction
- American Council on Exercise: Dumbbell Front Squat
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