Relieve Hip Pain with These 4 Stretches and 4 Strengthening Exercises

The Hip Pain Solution for lazy people

Are you experiencing pain on the outside of your hip? You’re not alone. Hip pain can be a common issue, especially for those who are active or have a history of hip injuries. In this article, we’ll show you four stretches and four strengthening exercises to help alleviate hip pain and strengthen the surrounding muscles.

What Causes Hip Pain?

Hip pain is often caused by a condition known as hip bursitis, which is an inflammation of the fluid-filled sac (bursa) that reduces friction and increases lubrication in the hip joint. The pressure on the bursa, causing inflammation, is often the result of tightness and weakness in the hip muscles.

Stretching Exercises

Before we dive into the strengthening exercises, let’s start with four stretches to help relieve tension and loosen up the hip muscles.

1. Supine Lateral Hip Stretch
   • Sit on the floor with your affected leg crossed over your other leg.
   • Use a belt, towel, or sheet to help you stretch.
   • Lay down on your back and bring your foot up as high as you can comfortably.
   • Pull your foot towards the opposite side to target the outside of your hip.
   • Hold for 20 seconds and repeat three times.
2. Figure Four Stretch (Piriformis Stretch)
   • Lay on your back with your affected leg crossed over your other leg.
   • Place your hands under your knee and pull it towards your chest.
   • Hold for 20 seconds and repeat three times.
3. Lateral Hip Stretch (IT Band Stretch)
   • Lay on your side with your affected hip up.
   • Bend your top knee and grab your ankle with your hand.
   • Use your other leg to push your knee down towards the floor.
   • Hold for 20 seconds and repeat three times.
4. Hip Flexor Stretch
   • Kneel down with your affected leg in front.
   • Keep your back straight and scoot your hips forward to stretch the front of your hip.
   • Hold for 20 seconds and repeat three times.

Strengthening Exercises

Now that we’ve loosened up the hip muscles, it’s time to strengthen them. Here are four exercises to help improve function and increase strength in the hip.

• Glute Bridge
  • Lay on your back with your knees bent.
  • Contract your glutes and lift your hips up towards the ceiling.
  • Hold for three seconds and repeat 15-20 times.
• Clamshell
  • Lay on your side with your affected hip up.
  • Bend your knees and lift your top knee up towards the ceiling.
  • Hold for three seconds and repeat 15-20 times.
• Side-Lying Leg Lift
  • Lay on your side with your affected hip up.
  • Straighten your top leg and lift it up towards the ceiling.
  • Keep your leg straight and pull your heel back behind you.
  • Repeat 15-20 times and do three sets on each side.
• Side Squats
  • Stand with your feet close together.
  • Take a step to one side and lower your body down into a squat.
  • Push back up to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
  • Do 10 reps on each side and repeat three times.