Your hips are your body’s physical foundation — learn how to maintain mobility to remain agile throughout your life.
The hip joint is the largest joint in the body after the knee. When you stand, your hip joint supports your body weight and keeps you balanced. It also enables you to rotate, extend, and flex your upper leg. So when your hip joint tightens up, your hip mobility is greatly compromised, making walking and doing everyday tasks extremely difficult, maybe even painful.
While hip pain and stiffness can strike at any age, especially as we spend more and more time sitting at a desk, we may experience more problems with hip mobility as we age. The good news is it’s never too late to incorporate exercises for hip mobility into your daily routine to keep you moving at your best.
Common hip problems that affect mobility
Like your shoulder, your hip joint is a ball-and-socket joint. The femur, or the thigh bone, has a ball at its top that fits into the hip bone socket, or acetabulum. The joint is held together by ligaments that connect the bones together and tendons that tether the bones to muscles. Cartilage and fluid-filled sacs known as bursa provide a layer of protection to the bones when you move.
As a result, hip mobility can be affected by a number of conditions caused by injuries to these components, as well as general wear and tear over time. Here are some of the most common:
Osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is more common among older folks but can also develop in younger patients who overwork their joints. It develops when the cartilage lining the joint wears down over time, causing pain and stiffness. It can also increase the risk of broken bones.
Bursitis. When the bursa are strained and damaged from overuse, they become inflamed and painful. Bursitis is frequently seen in runners and other athletes who use their hip joints often, but of course, this can also become more common with age.
Labral hip tear. When the cartilage, or acetabular labrum, surrounding the joint is damaged, the bones of the ball may grind against the socket and eventually tear the labrum.
Hip impingement. When the ball and socket of the hip joint don’t fit well together, the bones can rub against each other and wear down the cartilage, causing friction and pain.
Four exercises for hip mobility
Any persistent hip pain and stiffness must be evaluated by a doctor, who can perform a physical examination followed by imaging tests to provide an exact diagnosis.
To keep your hip mobile and strong, your doctor may also recommend trying at-home mobility exercises. Mobility exercises are similar to flexibility exercises, except they focus on improving the range of motion of the joints, while flexibility exercises increase the limberness of the muscles. For the best results, it’s recommended that these two types of exercises be performed together because even if your joints are mobile, your muscles may be tight, which can also affect your mobility.
Some simple exercises you can start with include:
1. Supine figure-four stretch
Lie on your back, hands at your side, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift your right leg and place your right ankle on top of your left knee, keeping your right foot flexed. Put your hands on either side of your left thigh and lace your fingertips behind it. Bring your left knee toward your chest, feeling a stretch in the right glute. You should feel no pain in the knee or hip. For an added challenge, push your right thigh away from your body if you can. Hold for 30 seconds, and then release your left leg and put your right foot back on the floor. Repeat on the other side, aiming for three repetitions on each side.
2. Hip flexor lunge
Start by kneeling on your right knee. Bend your left leg and place your left foot flat on the floor a few feet in front of your right knee. Squeeze your right buttock and move your pelvis forward for 10 seconds, then backward. Repeat on the other side.
3. Single-leg hip bridge
Lie on your back with your hands at your sides, knees bent, and feet flat on the floor. Position your feet hip-width apart and about a hand distance from your buttocks. Raise your right foot, keeping your knee bent. As you push your left heel into the floor, squeeze your buttocks and push your hips up until your shoulders and knees are in a straight line. Keep your core stable by pulling your belly button back toward your spine. Breathe in and out and hold this position for three to five seconds. Lower your hips to the floor while your right leg stays raised and steady. Repeat 10 to 15 times on the same leg, then switch to the other side. Aim for two to three sets.
4. Hip circles
Lie down on your back on the floor with your left leg straight on the floor. Bend your right knee and hold it with your right hand. Move your right leg clockwise. Do this five times, then switch to a counterclockwise motion and do it five more times. Repeat on the other leg. Start with small circles and gradually make them wider.
Keep your hips in top shape
As a leading sports medicine center, the physicians at New York Bone & Joint Specialists work to better our patients’ lives with better joint mobility. Whether it’s your knee or hip that’s giving you trouble, you can be assured our staff will find the issue and develop a plan to improve your overall mobility and joint health. Contact us today for a consultation.
