Hip tendonitis refers to a hip condition that is often caused by overuse of, tears in or inflammation of the tendon muscles around the hip. Iliopsoas tendonitis and iliopsoas syndrome are two similar hip conditions sometimes used interchangeably for discussing hip tendonitis. If you are suffering from hip pain, static stretching; range of motion, or ROM; and strengthening and aerobic exercises will improve your symptoms.
Aerobics
Aerobic exercises on flat surfaces warm the muscles and tendons up for stretching and strengthening exercises. Aerobic exercises on inclines such as hills or slopes warm the muscles up, too, but may place too much stress on the hips. Walking on a level surface for 10 minutes without swaying the hips is an adequate and safe warm up.
Static Stretching
Static stretching involves holding a muscle in a lengthened position for a period of time. Static stretches typically are held for 10 to 30 seconds, but for hip tendonitis, a one- to two-minute hold gives the muscles and tendons a better chance to relax and thus reduce pain. Stretching is gentle, with no ballastic or bouncing movements. The Permanente Medical Group recommends daily stretching several times a day. Some stretches include the kneeling hip flexor stretch, where you kneel on one knee and extend the other leg out in front at a 90-degree angle, pushing the hips forward; the seated cross-over stretch, where you sit on the floor, with one leg extended straight out and the other bent and crossed over at the knee while you pivot in the opposite direction; and the supine cross-over stretch, where you lay on your back with one foot on the floor, knee bent, and cross your other leg over so that the outside of the foot rests on the opposite thigh above the knee, and then pull the legs toward your chest.
Strengthening Exercises
Strong hips, lower back and glute muscles prevent iliopsoas tendonitis and syndrome. These exercises help hips with tendonitis recover, too, but should only be performed after stretching exercises are pain-free. Examples of strengthening exercises include knee raises, hip abductions and hip extensions, which are simple exercises that use the weight of the legs raised against gravity to strengthen the hips and glutes. Persons with hip arthritis and severe joint problems may find strength-training exercises in water more comfortable. Isometric strengthening exercises, such as placing the outside of a bent leg against a wall and pressing into the wall without moving, also strengthen the hips.
Range-of-Motion Exercises
ROM exercises for hip tendonitis stretch the hips by taking the muscles through their full range of motion, with the goal of increasing ROM. Taking a joint through its entire ROM is not possible when the muscles, ligaments or tendons are tight or inflamed. This severely limits mobility, making something as simple as walking difficult. The hip joints are ball-and-socket joints that are meant to move in all directions, so a limited motion in these joints is more restrictive that with other types of joints. Arthritis-Treatment-and-Relief.com advises that a good ROM exercise to do involves lying on your back and bringing one knee to your chest, grasping your shin and then rotating the hip. You can also do this by bringing both knees in to the chest and leaving the shins free while you rotate the hips in wider and wider circles.
Member Comments