Get Hip Smart
Want to reach 60 or even 70 years of age without experiencing hip joint problems? According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, it's getting harder all the time. More than 193,000 hip replacements are performed each year, and that number is on the rise. Avoidance is possible says Karl Knopf, author of “Healthy Hips Handbook” (Ulysses, 2010). “Identifying a problem early keeps small problems small," Knopf says. The manual outlines the causes for common hip injuries such as snapping hips, bursitis, iliotibial band fasciitis and Legg-Calve-Perthes, a hip diseases associated with inadequate blood supply to the hips.
As people exercise their hips, Knopf recommends balancing the volume of training with the intensity of training, knowing the a person’s range of motion, including exercises that train small supporting muscles of the hip region, acknowledging the dangers of exercises, understanding how to mix reps and sets for maximum gain and minimum risk.
Most importantly, “train smart and not necessarily heavy,” Knopf says. “You know how your body feels – listen to it and heed what it says.” Avoid high-risk exercises such as leg presses, full squats, explosive Plyometric moves, deep lunges, wide dynamic jumping jacks or dance moves, running or jumping bleacher stairs, rowing, cycling or running incorrectly.
For the young and the old alike, here are five exercises for stronger hips:
crossed-leg drop:
tensor fascia latae
Lie on your side on the edge of a bed or bench. Be careful not to roll off. Gently allow the top leg to drop off the side as far as is comfortable. Breathe into the stretch and relax. Hold for 10–30 seconds, as tolerated. Repeat 3–5 times, then switch sides.
TFL stretch: tensor fascia latae
Caution: If you’ve had hip replacement surgery, take extra care when doing this. If you have osteoporosis/osteopenia, do not pull your knees in past 90 degrees.
Sit upright on the floor with your legs out in front of you. Maintain good posture. Cross your right leg over your left thigh and tuck your left foot by your right buttock.
Exhale as you place your left elbow on the outside of your right thigh and gently twist your upper body to the right. Hold for 15 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.
Inverted figure 4: hamstrings
Caution: If you have osteoporosis/osteopenia, do not pull your knees in past 90 degrees.
Lie on a mat with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your left ankle on top of your right knee. Inhale deeply through your nose. Wrap both hands around your right leg and bring your knee and ankle to your chest while exhaling. Now straighten your right leg toward the ceiling as much as is comfortable. Focus on inhaling and exhaling fully and hold this stretch. Switch sides and repeat.
Kneeling hip flexor: hip flexors
Caution: Avoid this stretch if you have poor balance and/or bad knees.
Kneel on a mat or something soft to protect your knees. Move your left knee forward so that you can place your left foot flat on the floor. Maintain an erect position, lifting your chin, squeezing your shoulder blades together, pulling in your belly button and contracting your gluteals. Slowly press your hips forward until you feel a comfortable stretch in the front of your kneeling leg. Hold this stretch for a comfortable moment. Be aware of any cramping in the hamstring of the front leg.
Piriformis stretch: piriformis, low back
The piriformis muscle is a deep-lying muscle in the gluteal region, through which some believe the sciatic nerve passes. When the piriformis is too tight, it is believed to cramp the sciatic nerve, causing the symptoms of sciatica.
Lie on a mat with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Cross your right knee on top of your left knee and grab behind your left leg with both hands. Gently pull your knees in toward your chest. Stop when tension occurs. Hold this position for a comfortable moment, focusing on the sensation of the stretch. Switch sides and repeat.
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