Of all the joints in the body, the hip is one of the most versatile and complex. Because of its proximity to the pelvis, when a hip becomes misaligned it can affect spinal alignment, placing pressure on the disks and nerves that govern muscle action in the extremities. If left unchecked, a hip misalignment can lead to more serious and painful conditions of the knee and spine. Certain exercises can help strengthen hip muscles and prevent alignment problems.
Hip Anatomy and Function
The hip joint has a ball-and-socket structure, which lets it move in many directions. The head of the femur, or thigh bone, forms the ball, which fits into the socket formed by the acetabulum of the pelvis. The joint is supported by strong ligaments, which attach the bones of the pelvis to the femur, and by cartilage and bursae that cushion the joint and allow for fluid movement. Many muscles govern movement of the hip joint. The hamstrings and gluteals extend the hip, while the rectus femoris of the quadriceps works with the iliopsoas of the pelvic floor to flex it. The gluteus medius works with the tensor fascia latae to abduct and rotate the hip outward while the groin muscles adduct the leg and medially rotate the joint.
Muscle Tension and Balance
Misalignment often occurs when some muscles are shortened from overuse while others become slack from disuse. When you sit most of the time, the rectus femoris and iIliopsoas become tight while the hamstrings become lax. If you stand all day, the hamstrings and gluteals may become tight while the hip flexors become weak. Ballet dancers who practice external rotation or "turnout" may need to strengthen the adductor muscles and stretch the gluteal and abductor muscles. Poor postural habits such as standing with the knees locked out or shifting the bulk of your weight onto one side can also lead to misalignment.
Strengthening Exercises
According to Kim D. Christensen of the American Chiropractic Association Rehab Council, deficits in strength and flexibility of the muscles surrounding the hip joint can be corrected with resistance exercises and stretching. Strength training using weights or elastic resistance that addresses all the muscles surrounding the joint is best. Exercises that extend the hip like deadlifts and machine hip extensions work the hamstrings and gluteals. Use a cable machine with an ankle attachment or a multi-hip machine to do hip flexor knee raises, abduction and adduction. Medial and lateral hip rotation can be done with elastic resistance anchored to a fixed object on one end and attached to the foot.
Stretching Exercises
Stretching tight muscles is critical, and should not be given a back seat to strengthening. Lie on your back and, without rotating the trunk, keep one leg flat on the floor and pull the other knee across your chest toward the opposite shoulder, hugging it to you to stretch the abductors and gluteals. Next, extend the same leg toward the ceiling with a straight knee, gently pulling it toward your chest by placing the hands behind the calf to stretch the hamstrings. Now gently drop that leg to the side to stretch the adductors. Roll onto your hip and grasp the ankle of your top leg, keeping the leg parallel to the floor as you straighten the hip to stretch the hip flexors. Hold the extreme position of each stretch for 30 to 60 seconds, breathing deeply.
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