Here are some basic exercises to help keep your hips strong and mobile. Remember to check with your practitioner, physical therapist, or healthcare provider to ensure that you are healthy enough to exercise your hip or leg.
While lying on your back, keep both knees bent and place a small ball, pillow, or towel roll between your knees. Give the pillow a gentle squeeze. Hold for five seconds and release. Repeat 10 times. Be sure to stop the exercise if you feel any sharp pain.
While lying on your back, keep one leg straight and one knee bent. Tighten your quadriceps muscle on the top of your straight leg and then lift the straight leg up about 12 inches. Hold it there for two seconds, then slowly lower your leg. Remember to keep your leg as straight as possible. Repeat this 10 to 15 times.
You can make your this exercise more challenging by adding a small cuff weight to your thigh or lower leg.
Lie down on one side. The leg closer to the floor should be bent and the top leg should be straight. Slowly lift your top leg up, making sure to keep your knee straight and your toes pointing forward. Hold for two seconds, then slowly lower. Repeat 10 times.
Sit on the floor with your knee out straight. Cross one leg over the other by placing your ankle on top of your knee (as if crossing your legs while sitting). Gently pull your knee across your body and hold for five seconds. Then gently push the knee of the top leg away from you until a stretch is felt in your hip. Hold this position for five seconds, then slowly release. Repeat 10 times.
Lie on your back and place a Swiss ball under your calf muscles. Engage your abdominal muscles and then slowly lift your buttocks off the ground. When your pelvis is raised up, hold the position for two seconds. Lower down slowly. Repeat the exercise for 10 to 15 repetitions.
Stand sideways with one foot on a step and the other hanging off. Keeping both knees straight, lower down your pelvis on one side so your foot moves toward the floor. Both knees should remain straight; the motion should come from your hip joint. Once your pelvis is lowered down, slowly raise it back up to the starting position. Repeat the exercise for 10 repetitions.
A Word From Verywell
By keeping your hips strong and flexible, you may be able to prevent hip pain and problems from occurring. If you have hip pain, gentle exercise might be the key to help you decrease pain and return to your normal activity.
