Although the causes of hip pain can be varied—injuries, muscle strains, arthritis or inflammatory disorders—stretching can do wonders to improve mobility. With the exception of those who have recently had a hip replacement, doing these stretching exercises at a gentle pace is safe for most people battling hip pain.
Warm up your muscles first
Before you try these hip stretches, take a warm shower or bath to relax your muscles. Start with just a couple exercises a day, several times a week to see how it feels. While a little discomfort at first is normal, excessive pain is a warning sign that you need to stop.
Stretch No. 1 – Lower back and hip stretch
Lie on your back and bend your knees. Your feet should be flat on the floor. Using your hands, pull your knees toward your chest and breathe deeply. Each time you exhale, pull your knees a bit closer to your shoulders, but only as far as is comfortable. Hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds while breathing normally. Put your feet back on the floor with your knees bent and then repeat.
Stretch No. 2 – Hip rotation stretch
Lie on your back with your knees bent so your feet are flat on the floor. Slowly rotate your knees to the right, lowering them to the floor. Rotate your head to the left while keeping your shoulders flat against the floor. Hold the position for a count of 20 and then return your head and knees to the original position. Next, do the same thing on the other side. (Rotate your knees to the left and turn your head to the right.)
Stretch No. 3 – External hip stretch
Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you. Bend your knees until the soles of your feet are touching each other. With your hands on your knees, gently push your knees down to the floor. Only push as far as you’re comfortable. Hold the position for 10 seconds and then remove your hands to let your knees return to a comfortable position. Repeat 5 to 10 times.
Stretch No. 4 – Knee lifts
Lie on the floor with both legs flat on the floor. Keep one leg straight and pull the other knee toward your chest. Put both hands on the bent knee to help pull it toward your chest as far as is comfortable. Hold for 10 seconds and then gently lower your leg back to the floor. Switch knees. Repeat 5 to 10 times per leg.
Use these four stretches and you should see relief from hip pain.
