Hip arthritis can decrease mobility in your joints, causing pain due to inflammation. While there are some exercises you should avoid if you have hip arthritis, certain stretching and cardiovascular exercises may improve mobility in your hip joint. Consult your doctor or physical therapist before engaging in a new exercise routine.
Warmup
Warm up your muscles when preparing to exercise your hip area. This heat will make the muscles more relaxed, which can facilitate stretching and reduce pain. The UpToDate website recommends to take a 10- to 15-minute shower or bath in warm water. Applying heat to the hip area using a heating pad or towel warmed in the microwave can help as well.
Stretching Exercises
These exercises from Kaiser Permanente can be performed twice per day at five to 20 repetitions each. Begin by sitting in a chair, preferably one without arms and with a wooden seat for easier sliding. Lean forward slightly and put your hands on your knees. Use your hands to push your right hip forward slightly, then alternate to your left. Work your way up to the edge of your chair, then repeat back toward the chair. Next, lie on your back and pull one knee in toward your chest, then angle it toward your opposite shoulder. Lower the leg, then repeat on the opposite side. Next, while lying on your back with your feet on the floor, slowly raise your buttocks up to make a straight line from the shoulders to the knees. Hold for five seconds, then lower and repeat.
Cardiovascular Exercises
Maintaining a healthy weight is important to reducing your arthritis pain because it reduces the amount of stress on the joints, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Cardiovascular exercise can burn calories and improve joint mobility at the same time. Choose low-impact exercises designed to minimize strain placed on the hip. Examples include water walking in a pool, walking, yoga and golf.
Warning
Some exercises can place too much pressure on your hip joint, warns UpToDate. These include high-impact activities that involve jarring movements, such as through tackling. Examples include football, rugby and wrestling. Also avoid activities that require sudden explosive movements, such as basketball, tennis and racquetball. Running, jumping and activities that require you to place your legs in a widened stance, such as jumping jacks, should be avoided as well.
Benefits
While exercise may be initially difficult due to joint pain and stiffness from hip arthritis, exercise can ultimately help you to reduce these painful symptoms, according to the Arthritis Foundation. With time, exercise can build muscle around the hip joint, increasing your stability. Exercise also helps to reduce inflammation, which can result in arthritis pain. In addition, exercise can reduce the risk of complications due to inactivity, such as heart disease.
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