Hip Recovery
Description
Prepartion
Exercises
After an injury or surgery, an exercise conditioning program will help you return to daily activities and enjoy a more active, healthy lifestyle. To ensure that the program is safe and effective for you, it should be performed under your doctor's supervision. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist about which exercises will best help you meet your rehabilitation goals.
- Strength : Strengthening the muscles that support your hip will help keep your hip joint stable. Keeping these muscles strong can relieve pain and prevent further injury.
- Flexibility : Stretching the muscles that you strengthen is important for restoring range of motion and preventing injury. Gently stretching after strengthening exercises can help reduce muscle soreness and keep your muscles long and flexible.
- Target Muscles : The muscle groups targeted are - Gluteus maximus and medius (buttocks), Adductors (inner and outer thigh), Hamstrings (back of thigh), Piriformis (buttocks), Tensor Fascia (outer thigh)
- Warm up : Before doing the exercises, warm up with 5 to 10 minutes of low impact activity, like walking or riding a stationary bicycle.
- Stretch : After the warm-up, do the stretching exercises before moving on to the strengthening exercises.
- Do not ignore pain : You should not feel pain during an exercise. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist if you have any pain while exercising.
1. Standing Iliotibial Band Stretch
- Stand next to a wall for support
- Cross the leg that is closest to the wall behind your other leg
- Lean your hip toward the wall until you feel a stretch at the outside of your hip. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds
- Repeat on the opposite side, then repeat the entire sequence 4 times
2. Seated Rotation Stretch
- Sit on the floor with both legs straight in front of you. Cross one leg over the other
- Slowly twist toward your bent leg, putting your hand behind you for support
- Place your opposite arm on your bent thigh and use it to help you twist further
- Look over your shoulder and hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Slowly come back to center
- Reverse leg positions and repeat the stretch on the other side. Repeat the entire sequence 4 times
3. Knee to Chest
- Lie on your back on the floor with your legs extended straight out
- Bend one knee and grasp your shinbone with your hands
- Gently pull your knee toward your chest as far as it will go
- Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and then relax for 30 seconds
- Repeat on the other side, then pull both legs in together. Repeat the entire sequence 4 times
4. Supine Hamstring Stretch
- Lie on the floor with both knees bent
- Lift one leg off of the floor and bring the knee toward your chest
- Straighten your leg and pull it gently toward your head until you feel a stretch
- Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and then relax for 30 seconds
- Repeat on the other side, then repeat the entire sequence 4 times
5. Hip Abduction
- Lie on your side with your injured leg on top and the bottom leg bent
- Straighten your top leg and slowly raise it to 45 degrees
- Hold this position for 5 seconds
- Slowly lower your leg and relax for 2 seconds
- Repeat, then complete exercise on the other side
6. Hip Extension (Prone)
- Lie on your stomach on a firm surface with a pillow under your hips
- Bend one knee 90 degrees
- Lift your leg straight up
- Slowly lower your leg to the floor, counting to 5
- Repeat on the other side
7. Internal Hip Rotation
- Lie on your side with a pillow between your thighs
- Bring your top leg forward and lower your foot below the tabletop
- Rotate your hip and lift your foot as high as possible
- Slowly lower your leg back, counting to 5
- Repeat on the other side
8. External Hip Rotation
- Lie on your side on a table or bench
- Bring your bottom leg forward and lower your foot below the tabletop
- Rotate your hip and lift your foot as high as possible
- Slowly lower your leg back to the start position, counting to 5
- Repeat on the other side
Description
After an injury or surgery, an exercise conditioning program will help you return to daily activities and enjoy a more active, healthy lifestyle. To ensure that the program is safe and effective for you, it should be performed under your doctor’s supervision. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist about which exercises will best help you meet your rehabilitation goals.
- Strength : Strengthening the muscles that support your hip will help keep your hip joint stable. Keeping these muscles strong can relieve pain and prevent further injury.
- Flexibility : Stretching the muscles that you strengthen is important for restoring range of motion and preventing injury. Gently stretching after strengthening exercises can help reduce muscle soreness and keep your muscles long and flexible.
Preparation
- Target Muscles : The muscle groups targeted are – Gluteus maximus and medius (buttocks), Adductors (inner and outer thigh), Hamstrings (back of thigh), Piriformis (buttocks), Tensor Fascia (outer thigh)
- Warm up : Before doing the exercises, warm up with 5 to 10 minutes of low impact activity, like walking or riding a stationary bicycle.
- Stretch : After the warm-up, do the stretching exercises before moving on to the strengthening exercises.
- Do not ignore pain : You should not feel pain during an exercise. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist if you have any pain while exercising.
Exercises
1. Standing Iliotibial Band Stretch
- Stand next to a wall for support
- Cross the leg that is closest to the wall behind your other leg
- Lean your hip toward the wall until you feel a stretch at the outside of your hip. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds
- Repeat on the opposite side, then repeat the entire sequence 4 times
2. Seated Rotation Stretch
- Sit on the floor with both legs straight in front of you. Cross one leg over the other
- Slowly twist toward your bent leg, putting your hand behind you for support
- Place your opposite arm on your bent thigh and use it to help you twist further
- Look over your shoulder and hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Slowly come back to center
- Reverse leg positions and repeat the stretch on the other side. Repeat the entire sequence 4 times
3. Knee to Chest
- Lie on your back on the floor with your legs extended straight out
- Bend one knee and grasp your shinbone with your hands
- Gently pull your knee toward your chest as far as it will go
- Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and then relax for 30 seconds
- Repeat on the other side, then pull both legs in together. Repeat the entire sequence 4 times
4. Supine Hamstring Stretch
- Lie on the floor with both knees bent
- Lift one leg off of the floor and bring the knee toward your chest
- Straighten your leg and pull it gently toward your head until you feel a stretch
- Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and then relax for 30 seconds
- Repeat on the other side, then repeat the entire sequence 4 times
5. Hip Abduction
- Lie on your side with your injured leg on top and the bottom leg bent
- Straighten your top leg and slowly raise it to 45 degrees
- Hold this position for 5 seconds
- Slowly lower your leg and relax for 2 seconds
- Repeat, then complete exercise on the other side
6. Hip Extension (Prone)
- Lie on your stomach on a firm surface with a pillow under your hips
- Bend one knee 90 degrees
- Lift your leg straight up
- Slowly lower your leg to the floor, counting to 5
- Repeat on the other side
7. Internal Hip Rotation
- Lie on your side with a pillow between your thighs
- Bring your top leg forward and lower your foot below the tabletop
- Rotate your hip and lift your foot as high as possible
- Slowly lower your leg back, counting to 5
- Repeat on the other side
8. External Hip Rotation
- Lie on your side on a table or bench
- Bring your bottom leg forward and lower your foot below the tabletop
- Rotate your hip and lift your foot as high as possible
- Slowly lower your leg back to the start position, counting to 5
- Repeat on the other side