Strengthening and Stretching Exercises For Hips

Exercise 1: Tensor Fascia Latae (TFL) stretch

How to do it

1. Stand with the side you want to stretch facing the wall, leaning with your forearm against it, so that the shoulder is at a 90 degrees angle;
2. Move your “good” leg over the front of the affected leg, keeping your feet at least 2-3 inches apart;
3. Then, move your affected hip towards the wall keeping your lower back straight, until you feel a stretch o the outside of your hip;
4. Hold the stretch for 15-20 mins, don’t bounce
5. Repeat this 2-3x a day, especially if you’ve been sitting for long periods. Allow 2-3 mins of walking before attempting the stretch, instead of doing it straight after standing up.

Exercise 2: Hip flexors stretch

How to do it

1. Kneel in a half-kneeling position whit the knee of the leg you want to stretch on the floor.
2. Move the whole body sightly and gently forwards.
3. Rotate/tilt your pelvis backwards preventing your back from arching, as shown in the picture above, to feel a stretch running down the front of the (Left) thigh.
4. Hold the stretch for 15-20 secs
5. Repeat this 2-3x a day, especially if you’ve been sitting for long periods. Allow 2-3 mins of walking before attempting the stretch, instead of doing it straight after standing up.

Exercise 3: Single leg bridging

How to do it

1. Lie on the floor with your knees bent and hip width apart.
2. Lift your buttocks up before, and only then start lifting your spine off the floor, vertebra by vertebra, from the bottom up, making you feel your abs working.
3. Then, lift the good foot of the floor and straighten the knee, as per the picture above, and hold for 5 secs without letting your pelvis move or twist.
4. Repeat 5-7 repetitions, 2-3 sets

Exercise 4: Hip hike

How to do it

1. Standing with the affected side on a step, bring your good foot to the same level, balancing on the affected leg.
2. Then, without bending the affected knee too much, lift the good side hip up, taking the good foot above the affected side foot, holding for 2-3 secs.
3. Then, slowly drop it till your good foot is lower than the affected foot. /li>
4. Repeat 5-7 times, 3 sets

Try these exercises and let us know how you’ve felt!

*****Disclaimer: When attempting these exercises, please use common sense and do not perform or modify if there is pain or discomfort! Necks can be irritable areas so please look for a qualified physiotherapist if you do experience neck pain. They can treat and supervise you through these exercises.

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