Hip-joint injuries can be extremely debilitating because you use your hips so often during daily activities such as bending over, sitting down, standing up and walking. Rehabilitation should include stretching and strengthening exercises targeting the hips and surrounding connective tissues and muscles. Perform stretching exercises every day and strengthening exercises three times per week, progressively increasing resistance over time. Consult your doctor or a physical therapist to determine which exercises are most appropriate for your injury.
Hip Flexor Stretch
The hip flexor muscles are susceptible to injury during hip extension ranges of motion, such as when you leap forward or sprint. Perform the hip flexor stretch daily to rehabilitate such an injury. Kneel on the knee of your injured leg and place your opposite foot flat on floor in front of your body. Move your center of gravity forward, over your front thigh, to extend your injured hip joint and stretch the hip flexors. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds, breathing normally and deepening the stretch slightly with each exhalation. Perform the exercise for your opposite leg as well to promote muscular balance on both sides of your body.
Lying Hip Stretch
The lying hip stretch targets the muscles that extend and internally rotate the femur, or thigh bone, within the hip socket. Lie on your back with your legs extended and feet close together. Lift your left foot and draw your knee toward your chest until your thigh is perpendicular to the floor. Then, turn your left lower leg across the center of your body, over your right thigh, with your toes pointed upward. Grasp the outside of your left knee with your left hand and under your left ankle with your right hand, then pull your knee and lower leg closer to your chest, deepening the stretch. Hold for at least 10 seconds, then switch legs.
Leg Press
The leg press is a strengthening exercise for the hip-joint extensors -- the gluteus maximus and hamstring muscles. The exercise is performed on a machine with a chair and a platform for your feet, which is attached to a stack of weights. Set the weight as desired, then sit on the chair with your knees flexed to 90 degrees and feet flat on the platform, about hip-width apart. Powerfully extend your hips and knees to push the platform away from your body, then reverse back to the starting position and repeat.
Side Leg Lifts
Side leg lifts strengthen the hip-joint abductors -- the muscles that move your femur sideways, away from your body. Kneel on your left knee and lean to the left, placing your left palm on the floor, directly below your shoulder, and your right hand behind your head. Extend your right leg sideways, parallel to the floor, with your inner thigh facing the downward and your toes pointed. Lower your right leg until your big toe touches the floor, then lift it back to the starting position and repeat. Perform the exercise with your left leg as well, kneeling on your right knee and leaning to the right.
References
- "Essentials of Athletic Injury Management"; William E. Prentice; 2008
- American Council on Exercise: Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
- "Shape": Lying Hips/Buttocks Stretch
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; Thomas R. Baechle and Roger W. Earle; 2000
- "Fitness": Side-Kneeling Triangle Lift
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