Three exercises for tight, painful hips
Bondi Junction Physiotherapy Clinic

If you suffer or have suffered from tight and/or painful hips, this article will provide you with 3 hip exercises to avoid and prevent those feelings.

As a ball and socket joint, the hip is very mobile and thus sensitive in any changes in the way its moving. The sensation of tightness or pinching you’re feeling can result from the hip joint moving improperly in the socket, from restriction of the capsule encasing the joint, or from the muscles that work around your hip and pelvis.

Because of this, you might find it difficult to comfortably work into functional positions like a deep squat, lunge, or high kick.

Our series of hip exercises are designed to relieve pain and tightness. Tight and painful hips can be caused by several things including structural variations, muscle strength imbalances, strains, and sprains.

Find below 3 hip exercises addressing three areas of your hip.

1. Mulligans Lunge – Helps Hip Mobility

Half kneeling with the band wrapped around your upper thigh and the other end of the band around something sturdy.  Make sure the band is pulled all the way to your joint line and stretched tight. Once positioned gently rock back and forth or 1-3 minutes to allow you to move more freely.

2. Short Head Rotations – Increase Your Hip’s Stability

Next, we are going to address stability. Just like your shoulder your hip has a rotator cuff of its own to ensure the head of your leg bone sits stable in its socket, this will help you train those deep hip stabilizers.

Start by placing yourself in four-point kneeling with a band wrapped around the inside of your foot pulling outward. Keeping your torso and hips level, pull the band inward until your legs are parallel and slowly return to the original position. Repeat this movement for 3 sets of 12.

3. Downward Donkey Kicks – Build Strength in Your Hips

The glutes are the largest muscles in your body. This exercise will help you develop your strength across this group of muscles.

Once again position yourself into four point kneeling. This time with the band around your knees, drive one leg upwards against the force of the band, keep the torso and pelvis level. Repeat on each side for 3 sets of 12.

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