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Stretching Exercise for Hip MusclesYou may be looking for a stretching exercise for hip due to tightness, pain, or just general health. Whatever your reason for wanting a hip stretching exercise I will try to differentiate for specific conditions. PAIN IN THE HIP MUSCLES:
Trochanteric Bursitis What is it? Hip pain referred or radiating from the lumbar spine, SI joint, and deep external rotators of the hip into the lateral or outside hip. Symptoms May include tenderness when palpated at the lateral hip, pain on weightbearing and when side lying especially sleeping at night. The illiotibial band running along the lateral side of the thigh is generally tight and should be stretched to decrease the stresses on the bursa in the hip joint. This article will describe ways to do an iliotibial band stretch.
Recommended hip abductor exercise to strengthen the muscles of the hip joint: Standing or side lying leg lifts. Prone(stomach) leg extensions to strengthen the gluteal muscles.
Piriformis Syndrome What is it? The piriformis is a muscle in the buttocks that, when it tightens, traps and/or presses against the sciatic nerve causing pain. Symptoms Internal rotation of the hip will be restricted and painful, as well as sitting and standing for periods of time. Decreased hip mobility and radiating pain going down the leg, possibly into the calf muscle.
Recommended Stretching Exercise for Hip: Stretching the piriformis muscle is recommended for symptom relief. Only stretch to the pain not into it! Position: The best hip stretching exercise for the piriformis muscle is lying on your back with a long rope or strap you can loop around your foot. Movement: Lift your leg straight up so it is perpendicular to your body or close to it. Aim the bottom of your foot to the ceiling. Grab the rope with the opposite hand of the leg looped and bring your leg across your body and straight down towards the floor until your hip begins to roll up. Feel the muscles of the inner thigh and abdominals contract as you stretch this muscle. Keep slight tension on the rope. Hold for 2-3 seconds then relax to prepare for the next stretch. Repeat 10 times holding for a 2-3 count again only to the pain not into it.
TIGHTNESS IN THE HIP MUSCLES Tightness in the hip flexors or front of the leg and hip should include a stretching exercise for hip muscles of the psoas and quadricep groups. Position for the Psoas and Quadriceps stretch: Standing or side lying lift your leg up reaching your hand for the top of your foot and gently pull it towards your butt until your knee points away from your head and the thigh is aligned with your torso. Initially you will feel the stretch in the quadriceps and as you extend the upper torso more while standing or lying straight you will begin to feel it up into the hip (psoas) muscle.
Stretching Exercise for Hip Adductors the muscles on the insides of your thighs. Position: Lying on your back with the strap or rope looped around one foot with both legs extended out straight on the floor and toes turned in. Movement: Using the muscles on the outside of your thighs slide the leg out from the side of your body leading with your heel. Keep a little tension on the rope to extend the stretch a little more. Hold for 2-3 seconds and then slide the leg back in to prepare for the next stretch. Repeat the stretch on each side for 10 times with a 2-3 second hold at the end.
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