Posterior hip dislocation occurs when the head of the femur is pushed out of the pelvis in the backward direction. Anterior hip dislocation does the same but is pushed in the forward direction. Both leave the hip in a fixed position and are very painful; many patients who suffer from hip dislocation cannot move their legs. Low-impact exercises and yoga can help reduce pain caused by congenital hip dislocation.
Supermans
The Superman is a beginner exercise designed to strengthen the gluteus maximus. Begin prone on a mat, with your legs and arms extended, ankles plantarflexed, and palms facing each other. Relax your head to align it with your spine.
Exhale, contract your abdominal and core muscles to further stabilize the spine, and slowly extend the hips by raising your legs a few inches off the floor. Do not rotate the arms or legs during lifting or extension. Hold the position briefly.
Gently inhale and lower your legs and arms back towards your starting position, without any movement in your lower back and hips.
Leg Crossover Stretch
The leg crossover stretch is another beginner exercise that focuses on stretching hip abductors while your obliques stabilize you through the movement.
Start by lying flat on your back on an exercise mat in a knee-bent position, arms outstretched to your side at shoulder level and palms facing upward. Brace the abdominal muscles to stabilize the spine, and gently depress your shoulder blades into the floor without moving your trunk. Cross one leg over the opposite knee while the ankle rests on the knee.
Exhale and gently press the knee of the crossed leg away from your body without moving the opposite leg or your trunk. Continue pushing until you reach the point of tension, and hold that position briefly while rotating your hips toward the floor; ensure the working leg's foot rests firmly on the floor.
Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds, relax, and return to starting position. Do two to four times and then repeat with the opposite side. For a more dynamic stretch, perform slow, controlled movements and complete one to two sets of five to 10 repetitions, holding each stretch for one to two seconds.
Yoga
Roger Cole, a certified Iyengar yoga teacher at the Iyengar Yoga Institutes in San Francisco, states that yoga can provide neutralization of the pelvic tilt. Tadasana, also known as the Mountain Pose, is one form of yoga to stabilize the pelvic girdle and align the spine.
Start with your back against the wall and point the pelvis ahead to equalize hip height, and neutralize pelvic tilt from front to back. When doing so, point your feet straight ahead, distribute your weight evenly between the inner and outer regions of the feet, completely extend the knees and lift your knees caps as you point them straight ahead.
Identify the femur and the anterior superior iliac spine, and press on the flesh parts of the hips at the midpoint of the two; you will notice an internal sensation of contraction as you turn to the left, while the right muscles softens and contraction disappears. Repeat this slow, controlled movement with your hands at your sides using only internal sensations and not palpation, the application of fingers to a specific region of the body, to guide you through the pose. This practice can help you develop a better understanding of alignment, which you can use with any yoga pose.
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