Best Exercises for Hip Pain Relief

When you have pain in your hips, it can seriously interfere with everyday activities, even walking. You may experience a loss of strength and range of motion. There are many different reasons one may suffer from hip pain. It could be from an injury such as straining or pulling a muscle. Or pain could be caused by arthritis, inflammatory conditions, or even bad posture. Certain stretches and exercises can help reduce pain and improve mobility, and here we will go over just a few great ways to do so.

What to know before exercising your hips

When you begin exercising your hips, you may initially feel temporary discomfort. Although you should not feel worsening pain, you should stop and see a doctor as soon as possible if the pain worsens. If the pain in your hips is extreme, you should not perform any exercises until your pain lessens. Before you begin any activities, you must warm up your muscles through ten to fifteen minutes of low-intensity cardio to make performing exercises easier and to lower the risk of injury —for example, a light jog or jumping jacks. It is recommended to perform exercises and stretches when stiffness and pain are at their lowest. For instance, when your muscles are relaxed after a warm shower or bath. As time progresses and you grow more comfortable, you can gradually increase your exercises and stretches. Here are some that will help relieve your hip pain.

Butterfly Stretch

To perform the butterfly stretch, sit as if you were going to cross your legs but instead put the soles of your feet together. Then hold your ankles, place your elbows on top of your thighs, and slowly lean forward while keeping your back straight. As you lean forward, push down on the top of your thighs until you feel a stretch.

Figure Four Stretch

To begin with, lie down on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Then bring either ankle to the opposite knee forming a figure four. Finally, you will place your hands around the back of the leg still on the ground, slowly move it towards your chest, and hold the position for several seconds.

Bridge

Lie flat on your back with your knees bent, and both feet placed flat on the floor. Then lift your lower back and pelvis off the ground, lower back down, and repeat.

Pigeon Pose

To begin, position yourself on the floor as if you were going to do a push-up. Next, bring one knee forward and place it beyond the opposite wrist. Your ankle should be near your hip. Then, let your upper body fold over the forward leg and lean into the stretch by bending your arms. Hold the position for several seconds and then repeat.

Squats

Stand up with your feet spread shoulder width apart. Then bend your knees as far as comfortable while keeping your back straight. Then bring yourself back up.

Hip flexions

To start, stand near a wall or table, with your feet spread shoulder width apart. Then, hold on to the table or wall with either arm and raise either knee to hip level, keeping the opposite leg straight. Hold the position for a few seconds, then repeat on the opposite side.

Conclusion

Healthy hips are essential to everyday life, so we must take care of them. Hip Stretches and exercises will help increase longevity, speed up recovery, and reduce pain. Although, the best solution for ongoing pain is to see a physical therapist who can put together a personalized plan for you.