How to Strengthen the Hip for Hip Arthritis

If you have hip arthritis, the strength of the hip muscles are often weakened due to pain or stiffness of the hip joint. Since muscles play a huge part of supporting your joints, muscle weakening leads to decreasing support of the joints. This is not good at all because with less support, the remaining cartilage of the joint would then undergo even more pressure. Hip joints are considered lower extremity joints, which means that in the standing position, these joints have to hold up most of your body weight. If the hip muscles weaken, the hip joints degeneration process will increase even more. This is why it is very important to strengthen the hip muscles. It is especially important if you have hip arthritis. There are five general directions of hip movement: flexion, extension, abduction, interpretation, and external rotation. Hip adduction is also a hip movement but it doesn’t play as large of a part functionally. When strengthening the hip, we generally work on the five movements. I only give my patients with hip instability hip adduction exercise (ball squeezes) as a warm up and only if they can’t do much outside of sitting position. Once my patients could do exercises in supine or standing position, I stop giving them hip adductor exercises. We could categorize hip muscle groups according to their functions: hip flexors, hip extensors, hip abductors, hip external rotators and hip internal rotators. Here are the most exercises I will go over today: bent over hip extension, supine bridge, hip abduction in sitting, hip abduction in standing, marching in standing with high knees, wall mountain climber, clamshells, lower extremity PNF D2 flexion, and hip controlled articulate rotations (hip CARS).

All footages used in this video are either original or obtained via Storyblocks. Disclaimer: Please consult your local doctor or physical therapist before attempting these exercises. These exercises are specific to my needs and are what work for me. You are responsible for any injury that might occur while attempting these exercises. Please note that if you have acute hip fracture or any hip surgeries, you should consult with an orthopedic surgeon or sports medicine doctor regarding when it is okay to strengthen your hip muscles. Tips for hip arthritis: Consult with a local physical therapist. Your physical therapist could teach you which exercise is appropriate for you and customize a program for you. Please know that a good therapy program doesn’t just include strengthening. it also includes stretching, manual therapy, and pain control. While my exercises are great for hip arthritis, I would not say that these all you would need. If your hip is flared up, ice the hip to decrease inflammation. Make sure there is a layer of clothing between the ice pack and your skin so you don’t get frost bite. If your hip is not flared up, it is good idea to warm up the hip before doing hip exercises. You could use a heating pad and put it around the hip for 15-20 minutes. Make sure there is a layer of clothing between the heating pad and your skin so you don’t get burned. After doing hip exercises, if there is any pain, ice the hip for 15-20 minutes. Make sure there is a layer of clothing between the ice pack and your skin so you don’t get frost bite. Music: Cello Suite - Bach [COPYRIGHT FREE] by Lud and Schlatts Musical Emporium Wind by Lilypichu Walking with you by Lilypichu (comfi beats) Ludwig’s Lullaby by Lud and Schlatts Musical Emporium Lilypad by Lilypichu (comfi beats) Sunshine & Butterflies by Lilypichu (comfi beats)