6 hip-strengthening exercises for physical therapy

Whether you’re walking down the street, balancing on one leg or reaching down to pick something off the floor, your hip is involved in nearly every type of physical movement. If you have weak hip muscles, these simple physical movements may not only be difficult, they can also be painful.

When you’re trying to strengthen your body while working out or you’re recovering from an injury, it’s important to not skip over hip-strengthening exercises. But which ones are recommended by physical therapists? That’s what we’re here to teach you.

Read on to learn about why you may need to strengthen your hips as well as a list of hip-strengthening exercises that you may practice in physical therapy.

Why you may need to seek physical therapy for hip-strengthening exercises

Having strong hips is more important than you may think. The hip is a ball-and-socket joint surrounded by bones, muscles and ligaments that allow you to maintain balance while you stand and walk. It supports the weight of your body while also allowing you to move your legs.

Strong and balanced hips allow you to:

• Improve your stride.
• Provide force and power for jumping and running.
• Prevent injuries due to balance issues.
• Stabilize your lower back.

Hip pain is one of the most common reasons that people seek physical therapy. Physical therapy can help alleviate symptoms of hip issues such as:

• Arthritis.
• Bursitis.
• Tendinitis.
• Injuries (dislocations, strains and fractures).

6 hip-strengthening exercises from physical therapy

If you’re on the road to recovery from a hip injury or surgery, or you’re experiencing hip issues due to a medical condition, then physical therapy is a terrific option for building back up the strength in your hips. 

There are a wide variety of hip-strengthening exercises that a physical therapist may recommend. Some exercises may require additional equipment such as weights or a resistance band. Your physical therapist can determine which exercises will work best for you depending on your injury, medical conditions and physical capabilities. 

Some hip-strengthening exercises from physical therapy have the additional benefit of stretching the hip muscles to increase their flexibility. The goal is to target your gluteus maximus, the hip’s main extensor muscle, and your gluteus medius, the hip’s main side muscle. Your therapist will advise how many sets of each exercise to do.

Here are six hip-strengthening exercises that your physical therapist may recommend:

• Sidestep — Place a resistance band around your lower thighs and stand in a half-squat position. Ensure that your hips and toes are facing forward. Slowly take steps to the side while going into a squat position. Do up to 15 steps in one direction, depending on your therapist’s instructions, before switching to the other direction.
• Single-leg Romanian deadlifts — Stand on your right foot with a slightly bent knee while holding a dumbbell in your left hand. Keep your back straight as you bring your left leg up behind you so that your torso is parallel to the floor and the dumbbell is brought down toward the floor. Lower your left leg and return to a standing position. Repeat this based on your therapist’s instructions before switching to the other leg.
• Hip marching — Sit on the edge of a chair. Raise one leg as high as you can while keeping your knee bent. Slowly lower your foot back down to the floor. Do the same movement with the other leg. Repeat the repetition based on your therapist’s instructions for multiple sets.
• Butterfly pose — Sit down on the floor with your knees bent outward so that the soles of your feet are touching. Place your hands under your feet and interlock your fingers. Gently push your knees down to the floor using your elbows. After 30 seconds, bend down so that your body is folded. Hold the folded position for one minute at a time.
• Single-leg bridge — Lie on your back with your palms pressed down to the floor by your side. Bend your knees and plant your feet toward your hips. Extend your right leg into the air and raise your hips as high as you can. Hold the position for 30 seconds at a time before switching legs. Repeat as directed by your physical therapist.
• Side leg raises — Lie on your side so that one leg is lying on top of the other. Raise the top leg as high as possible. Keep it in the air for a second before bringing it back down. Repeat as directed by your physical therapist before switching to your opposite side to do the exercise with your other leg. 

SSOR can walk you through hip-strengthening exercises in physical therapy

If you’re on the road to recovery from a hip injury, or you have hip pain that stems from a medical condition, then hip-strengthening exercises in physical therapy can help reduce hip pain and restore your mobility. When you’re ready to see how physical therapy can help strengthen your hips, give our physical therapists at Specialists in Sports and Orthopedic Rehabilitation  a call. 

Contact us today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.