Exercises And Stretches For Hip Pain Decoded

Exercises And Stretches For Hip Pain Decoded

Hip pain is a common problem today. If you thought, that only adults suffer from hip pain, you could never be so wrong. College goers and old people suffer from hip pain, alike. Before you move onto the solutions, it is imperative for you to know the reasons behind hip pain. Some of the possible causes include hernia or athletic pubalgia. The pain may be due to a tear in the muscles. If you play sports that involve a lot of twists and turns, you may be a victim of hip pain. 

Another very common reason,  that may lead to hip pain is osteoarthritis. Your joints become inflamed and swollen if you suffer from this condition. You are at risk if you play high-impact sports like basketball. Moreover, overweight individuals and the aged also suffer a lot. You can also be a victim of an accident, or cartilage and tendon tears. You can try some weight control measures so that there is less pressure on your hip region. Apart from that, you should exercise regularly and also practice yoga.

Exercises and Stretches for Hip Pain

Before you just plunge into stretches and exercises, it is imperative for you to know a bit about them. There are a few major types of stretches,  that incorporate different areas of the lower body. 

They include the groin region, hip flexor, and outer hips. If you concentrate on these three categories, you can aid your body to move in multiple directions. The range of motion visibly increases. You should always stretch with the stiffer side, at first.

           You can start with opening up your hip flexors. 

• The low lunge or Lizard Pose will be beneficial in this case. There is one more variant in this case and it is the wheel pose. If you tend to work all day, you may feel a certain stiffness in your body, especially around the hip and waist region. You should perform low lunges with your body almost parallel to the ground, to open up the flexors. When you perform this lunge, with one leg outstretched towards the back and the other leg folded at the knee, and stretched forward, your knees also get aid. With more practice, the posture also improves. 
• The Wheel Pose is another one of those poses, that will help you to open up your hip flexors. It also lends a lot of flexibility to your spine and shoulder. You should always remember to take deep breaths as you lift your body from the floor. Exhale slowly, while lowering the body. This is a great pose, if you are planning to lose excess weight as well. 

         Opening up your outer hips seem to be the next step forward. 

• You can try out the Pigeon Pose in this case. One of the easiest ways you can approach this pose, is from the Downward Dog pose. From the initial stance, you need to bring one leg forward, fold it, and place it on the floor. The other leg should remain outstretched at the back. After you are locked in this posture, you need to bring both your hands forward and criss-cross them, and lower your torso and head. The head should touch the floor. The pigeon pose stretches the outer hips, and groin as well.  Your groin region also needs the same amount of attention as the hip flexors and the outer hip.

• The Butterfly Pose Stretch seems to be the perfect one for that. It is a seater hip opener pose. You should seat on the floor, with both soles touching one another. You should pull your folded legs closer to your hip, for more pressure. Straighten the spine, and tuck your chin in your chest. You can move the legs like that of a butterfly’s wings, in up and down motion, for more mobility and dynamism. While doing this, you can hold your thighs with your hands, and create a thrust. 

          Strengthening and Mobilizing the Hips 

You do not need to have pain in your hip region, to start concentrating on them. It is better to start preventive measures before things take an awry turn. You can stretch and strengthen the hip region, to build flexibility and stability. So, it will enable you to move around, without much exertion. It will also help in the prevention of injuries. If you are into a desk job, then you are definitely a candidate for hip exercises. On the other hand, sports persons exert too much pressure on their hips, which eventually leads to wear and tear of the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. 

You have already learnt that opening the hip muscles, groin area, and hip flexors can alleviate your pain. However, there is more that you should know in detail here. You will get a better idea, if you read about these muscles:

• Gluteus Maximus
• Gluteus Medius

These mainly involve the back and side hip muscles. The tensor fasciae latae is another muscle, which is located in the front of the hip joint. If you use this muscle beyond its limit, you will experience knee pain, hip pain, and back pain. You can start working on these muscles, no matter, if you are a man or a woman. If you have tight and inflexible hips, you are a candidate for such exercises. You need to follow a sequence, to give your body the maximum advantage.

         Warm Up Before Your Engage in Major Exercises 

• You should start with some walking. Some people will also identify this pose, as a zombie walk. You have to stretch both your hands forward, with palms down. Then, swing each one of the legs alternately and bring the feet in contact with the fingers. You have to walk around, in this manner for some time. This is one of the best exercises, that will help you to strengthen your hamstrings, quads, and hips, as well. Once, you get comfortable with the walk, try touching the diagonal limbs. 
• You should also practice hip circles. These are very powerful and can open the hop muscles without too much exertion or hard work on your part. It also tends to increase stability and flexibility. You need to stand straight, and then lift the right leg, at an angle of 45 degree from the ground and move it in circles. Twenty circles on each side would be appropriate. To make this exercise, more challenging, you can increase the diameter of the circles slowly. 
• If you are an athletic person, you can also try side leg raises. This can strengthen your glutes and thighs. You can also increase difficulty levels, by attaching a weight to the thigh. Stack your legs on top of the other, while lying on your side. Raise one of the legs, as high as you can. Pause for some time, and return to the former position. You can do the same on the other side. Repeat. 
• Squats have also garnered a huge response, when it comes to hip strengthening and increasing mobility of the hip joints. Moreover, squats can address a whole lot of issues, apart from just the hips. So, you can expect to get a complete body workout. Stand straight, with your feet firmly grounded. Your back should be straight. Lower yourself, by folding the knees, unless the thighs are parallel to the floor. Pause and hold this position for a few minutes. Stand up and return to your original position. 
• Glutes are one of the most neglected set of muscles in the body. It is more so, for people who sit all day long at work. Glute bridges are a group of exercises, which you can perform quite easily. Moreover, you can do them at any time. Lie down on the floor, with your feet firmly placed on the ground. Your legs should be bent at the knees. You have to keep both arms on the sides. After you are there on the floor, in a comfortable pose, you have to lift your hips and lower back from the ground, so that the knees look slanted. Your head should touch the floor, throughout. Furthermore, you can increase the effectiveness of this exercise, by contracting your glutes well and tightening your abs, while doing the exercise. You can also try this pose with a medicine ball, behind the back. 
• Leg kickbacks are an excellent exercise for people, who want to strengthen and mobilize their hips. These exercises increase the flexibility of the hips. Additionally, the exercise works on the Gluteus Maximus. You have to emulate the posture, of yourself kicking a full with full force. You can make this exercise more intensive, by tying an elastic resistance band to your feet, while kicking your leg back. 

When you warm up your body, before getting into some serious exercises, the body responds well. Moreover, if you are a beginner, there is no risk of injury, as your muscle groups ate in working condition. 

Apart from the generous mix of yoga stretches and asanas, that are mentioned above, along with warmup exercise, you can try more asanas. Some of them are mentioned below.

More Yoga Poses To Alleviate Hip Pain

Viparita Karani is one of the best yoga poses, that can help you to strengthen the hip region and also manage pain. This pose will soften the lower back and also acts on the hip flexors. Moreover, your nervous system will also improve. You can practice this anywhere. This is the best part about yoga. If you have a mat and interest, you can practice it anywhere. 

Ananda Balasana is another pose in yoga, which emulates the laughing child. You must have seen a happy baby, who has his or her legs up, while giggling. The pose releases tension from the lower back, and also the hamstrings. Your inner thighs and outer hips also gain mobility and strength. Lie on your back anywhere, and bring your knees towards your armpits. Hold your outer ankles of the feet. You can even modify the pose, and rock the body. Side by side motion is mostly desirable for its massage-related benefits. 

Baddha Virabhadrasana is another pose, which comes under the same category of hip strengtheners and mobilizers. You will be softening your inner thighs, while strengthening your hamstrings, glutes, and quadriceps. Take the warrior pose, with the right leg stretched forward. Take your hands on top, and clench them in a fist, from the reverse, as you pull up the chest. Fold forward very gently, as you bring your right shoulder toward the right thigh. You should keep your shoulder blades squeezed. You can repeat the same on the other side. This is one of the best yoga poses, for the lower body. 

Benefits Decoded 

If you want to tighten your hips, or strengthen them, hip exercises and stretches are a must. You can attain greater hip flexibility through such exercises. Moreover, the stride length will also increase. As you continue to practice the poses, the pain in your hips, back, and glutes will decrease. You should ensure to practice the above on a regular basis. The best time to stretch your hip muscles through yoga exercises or similar stretching ones, is when your body is warm. So, that is the reason why, you should do the warm-up exercises beforehand. 

If you have suffered a breakage in your bone, it is best to workout under the supervision of your healthcare service provider. Moreover, if you have undergone some kind of trauma, you should exercise as per the guidance of your doctor. Additionally, seniors should always consult a doctor, before starting any stretching exercises. If you keep these in mind, while exercising, you will be greeted with a whole lot of benefits. Hip exercises are very good for overall fitness pertaining to all body types. Children, youngsters, adolescents, athletes, and old people can perform such exercises. You must follow a schedule, so that the muscles rarely tighten up. It will be the dawn of a new beginning. 

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Pramod Sahoo

Pramod came from a spiritual family. He loved meditation and yoga from a young age. He spent 7 years in an Ashram, learning ancient Himalayan yoga and meditation traditions. After that, he traveled and taught yoga in many places like Mumbai, Rishikesh, New Delhi, Italy, Austria, and Germany. He believes in a peaceful and joyful world for everyone, which inspired him to create Hari Om Yoga Vidya School.

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