Strengthening Exercise For Hip Osteoarthritis
Muscle support around a hip joint with osteoarthritis is of critical importance for controlling joint forces and therefore reducing pain, disability and potentially even the rate of joint deterioration. So, there are lots of great reasons to get and stay strong when you have hip osteoarthritis. It can be difficult though to know which are the best strengthening exercises for hip osteoarthritis. Well take you through some key considerations here.
More Tips For Managing Hip Arthritis
In addition to hip arthritis exercises focusing on strengthening and flexibility, adding in regular cardio is also beneficial in managing this condition. The best cardio for someone with hip arthritis depends on the severity of their condition.
“If you have a very low level of arthritis, a light jog on a soft surface, such as grass can be a great cardio exercise,” Wickham says. “As someone’s arthritis gets more severe, they will want to limit cardio that involves impact, as well as any type of explosive movements.”
Some examples of low-impact cardio exercises include swimming and using an elliptical machine, rowing machine, or indoor bike. Tai chi is also a good choice for hip arthritis exercises because it helps improve strength, flexibility and balance while relieving stress, according to a January 2020 article in âArthritis and Rheumatologyâ.
But the most important thing is to stick to exercises that you actually enjoy doing. “Exercise should leave you feeling better overall: stronger, more flexible, more balanced, more energy, and improved mood,” Dr. Fruge says.
In addition, the Arthritis Foundation recommends maintaining a healthy weight. Carrying extra weight puts additional stress on your hip joints and contributes to pain and lack of mobility.
Lastly, Dr. Fruge says one of the best hip pain reliefs can be found right in your freezer.
Resistance Band Hip Extension
Hip extensions basically train the largest muscle in the glutes, the gluteus maximus, and also help strengthen the hamstrings.
Using a resistance band during hip extension challenges the extensor muscles even more and improves focus control, making it an easier alternative to heavy weights.
How to do a resistance band hip extension:
- Secure a resistance band to a door, squat rack, or anything similar. Step your right foot inside the loop.
- With your left leg straight and stable, start to kick your right heel back while stretching the resistance back as far as you can.
- As you move your right leg back, ensure that your knee is straight.
- Return to the starting position, and repeat the exercise before switching sides.
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What Orthopedic Surgeons Dont Tell You
As mentioned before, as a physical therapist with a clinic located within the same building as an orthopedic surgeons group, I treat on average 10 patients with total joint replacements every week. Ive been doing this for years and I have definitely picked up on some things that orthopedic surgeons conveniently fail to tell you before having a joint replacement procedure.
Psoriatic Arthritis Of The Hip
Psoriatic arthritis is a type of arthritis that can develop in people with psoriasis, an autoimmune skin condition that can also cause inflammation in the joints, including the hip. Over time, untreated inflammation can lead to joint damage. Psoriatic arthritis of the hip is a chronic condition. It can develop before or after the telltale skin symptoms of psoriasis develop.
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Factors That Can Worsen Knee Osteoarthritis
When you live with osteoarthritis the most common type of arthritis knee pain and stiffness can seem difficult to avoid. Your knees and other joints may feel swollen, especially after being active, and the symptoms can worsen over time. More than just wear and tear on your joints, osteoarthritis is a joint disease.
Some of the factors that can worsen knee osteoarthritis pain wont come as a surprise. For example, if youve had a long career working at a job that requires you to stand for extended periods of time, bend a lot, or lift heavy objects, this can impact your cartilage, or the connective tissue in the joints between bones. When cartilage wears away, this causes swelling, pain, and trouble moving the knee joint. Athletes who sustained injuries, even long ago, can also be at risk for faster cartilage breakdown and osteoarthritis.
As osteoarthritis progresses, the knee and other bones may break down and develop what are called spurs, which are growths around the bones edges. Little pieces of bone or cartilage can also break off and float around in the knee joint, according to the Arthritis Foundation. In the later stage of osteoarthritis, the cartilage between the knee bones wears away completely, causing bone to rub against bone, which can lead to even more pain as well as joint damage.
Is your lifestyle contributing to your osteoarthritis pain? Find out if these habits may be harming your knee joints.
Four Types Of Exercises You Should Avoid When You Have Hip Arthritis
Hip arthritis causes pain and stiffness that limits your ability to enjoy many physical activities. Many people with hip arthritis exercise on their own or under the guidance of a physical therapist to help reduce arthritic pain and improve their mobility.
Its great if youre thinking about taking up exercising to improve your hip condition when you have arthritis. However, there are some exercises that can make your hip pain worse. Take a look below to discover which exercises you should avoid if you dont want to make your hip arthritis worse.
1. Exercises that require a lot of bending at the hips
Many exercises for hip pain will involve some amount of bending at the hips, but some exercises put too much strain on your hips. You should avoid any exercise that causes further strain and pain when bending at the hips.
Try exercises that require more bending at the knees rather than the hips. These tend to help take some strain off the hips while strengthening the muscles connected to them.
2. Exercises on uneven terrain
Exercising on uneven terrain like stairs or when hiking outdoors puts additional strain on your hips. This can cause your pain and stiffness to grow worse. These exercises also increase your risk for falling, which can result in a serious injury.
Instead, focus on stationary exercises that you can perform while standing, sitting or lying in one place.
3. High-impact exercises
4. Weightlifting exercises
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Exercise Reduces Chronic Arthritis Pain
Bob Schrupp and Brad Heineck are physical therapists who demonstrate how to do 2 stretches and 3 simple exercises that are effective at relieving arthritis pain in hips.
The 3 exercises work the hip muscles from three different directions, helping to strengthen and stabilize from all sides to reduce joint stress.
Watch the 8 minute video from the beginning or use our handy guide below to skip to specific exercises.
Important: These exercises shouldnt hurt. Its important for your older adult to listen to their body, avoid movements that cause pain, use good form, and only do as much as is comfortable.
Stretches To Relieve Hip Or Knee Pain
Standing quadriceps stretch: Stand up straight, feet together, holding the back of a chair. Bend your right knee, grasp your right foot, and pull it behind you, toward your buttocks, until you feel a stretch in the front of your thigh. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds, then repeat with the other leg.
Pretzel stretch: Lie on your back with your left knee bent and the left foot on the floor. Rest your right ankle on your left leg near your left knee. Your right knee should point to the side. Grasp the back of your left thigh with both hands and slowly pull it toward you until you feel a stretch in your right hip and buttock. Hold a few moments, then repeat the exercise with the opposite leg.
Exercise photos by Michael Carroll
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Lower Back And Hip Pain
Are you feeling a burning sensation in your lower back and hips? Are your daily activities becoming harder to do due to the pain? If so, youre in the right place! Here, well discuss the causes and treatments for reducing or eliminating lower back and hip pain. So lets get started on tackling this potentially life-altering discomfort so you can start enjoying life again!
Contents
Support The Hip Joint To Relieve Pain With Stronger Muscles
Strengthening your hip muscles will reduce your hip pain by better supporting your hip. Resistance training, following the instructions of a physiotherapist, can strengthen your hip muscles by using either your own body weight or small weights to provide resistance that your hip muscles can work against.
If you experience hip pain or discomfort for more than an hour after these exercises, you should reduce the amount and intensity of the exercises you perform.
Below is a range of hip strengthening exercises you can choose. Select three to four exercises to perform in a day, completing three sets with each set being 1012 repetitions of the exercise. Try to select a different mix of exercises to perform on different days.
Abdominal exercise
This will strengthen your abdominal muscles.
To start, lie on your back and bend your legs, keeping your feet flat on the floor. Then, tuck your hands under your lower back and using the muscles in your lower abdomen, pull your belly button downward towards the floor. Hold this position for 20 seconds and then relax.
Banded walk
This will strengthen your gluteal muscles.
You will need to use an exercise band. Place it around your ankles or just above your knees. Then, bend your knees slightly, keep your feet pointing straight ahead and side shuffle 1012 steps in one direction and then 1012 steps in the other direction.
Bridging
This will strengthen your gluteal muscles and hamstrings.
Chair stands
Donkey kicks
Fire hydrant
Hip abduction
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How Exercise Helps Hip Oa
Strength training helps build muscles that support the hip, shifting some of the stress from the joint onto the surrounding muscles, Iversen says. Your muscles also help stabilize the joint and keep it aligned, which prevents OA from getting worse. Imagine a door hinge, Iversen says. In a nicely aligned door, it moves perfectly well. But if the hinge is a bit off, the door wont move as smoothly and it begins to break down. The best strategy is to work with a physical therapist . Visit ChoosePT.com to find a PT who specializes in orthopedics. Or talk to your doctor about adding these moves to your routine.
How Exercise Helps Hip Arthritis
Think of your hip joint like a bicycle, says Dr. Johnson. The muscles around the hip are the strong, supporting frame of the bike. The joint especially one with arthritis is like the weaker, flimsier chain. A strong frame takes some of the stress off a weaker chain.
The same is true in your hip. We lose muscle strength as we age, explains Dr. Johnson. And any excess weight puts even more stress on a joint thats becoming weaker due to arthritis.
Exercise, then, helps strengthen the muscles that support your hip, which takes some of the load off on the worn-out, weaker joint. That shift can translate to a decrease in pain and stiffness, easier motion and improved flexibility, he says.
Exercise also help enhance balance, boost energy, improve sleep, and control weight. And in people with mild to moderate hip OA, a study published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases found those who exercised for one hour at least twice a week for 12 weeks were 44 percent less likely to need hip replacement surgery six years later, compared with those who did not exercise.
The types of exercise that can help ease arthritis pain may include:
- Range-of-motion and stretching exercises
- Strengthening exercises
- Aerobic exercise, like swimming or biking
- Other activities like yoga and tai chi or even gardening and walking the dog.
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Top Hip Arthritis Exercises For Relieving Chronic Pain
Exercise 1 Stand up and place hands on something sturdy like a non-moving chair or countertop for stability.
Keeping the body upright and both legs straight, lift one leg out to the side. Do 10 repetitions with that leg, then switch sides and do the same on the other side.
Be careful to use the hip muscles rather than letting momentum do the work!
Exercise 2 Stand and place hands on something sturdy like a non-moving chair or countertop for stability.
Keeping the body upright and both legs straight, lift and extend one leg back behind the body. Do 10 repetitions on that leg, then switch sides and do the same on the other side.
Be careful not to bend the knee and to use the hip muscles rather than letting momentum do the work!
Exercise 3 Stand and place one hand on something sturdy like a non-moving chair or countertop for stability. Make sure the active side of the body has space to move.
Keeping the body upright, do a single leg march in place. Do 10 repetitions on that leg, then switch sides and do the same on the other side.
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Dos And Donts Of Easing Arthritis Pain
- Learn as much as possible about your condition, including the type of arthritis and extent of joint damage .
- Plan your pain management tactics with your family, friends, and doctor.
- Be honest with your doctor should the pain increase.
- Maintain good posture, whether sitting, standing or walking.
- Maintain a healthy weight to prevent added stress on your joints.
- Perform gentle stretches to move your joints through their full range of motion every day.
- Perform low-impact activities that build muscle and strength without damaging your joints, such as walking, swimming or cycling.
- Balance physical activity with plenty of rest.
- Work with your doctor on a custom medication plan for your distinct symptoms.
- Make good use of heat and cold, such as heating pads, paraffin wax and/or ice packs.
- Consider massage for temporary relief of pain and joint stiffness.
- Consider therapeutic activities for the mind and body, including talk therapy, relaxation exercises or acupuncture.
- What Makes Arthritis Pain Worse?
Dont:
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Exercises For Arthritic Hips
With specific exercise, you can strengthen your hip muscles and support joint movement. It is important to note that when you do these exercises, you should follow them precisely. You may experience muscle aches and some pain. Some of this is normal and you should allow time before changing your routine, as long as your doctor approves.
Perform all exercises slowly and with care, three times daily. You can select between three to four exercises for every session. Dont forget to stretch and warm up, as well as spend time cooling down. It is suggested to take an easy walk for a few minutes before starting your exercises. This helps get your muscles ready to exercise and improves circulation. Dont forget to take a slow walk at the end of your exercise to help your heart rate slow back down.
Suggested exercises for arthritic hips are:
1. Flexor Stretch
First stand with in a walking position. Both hands in front of you for support, lean and bend your knee from the forward leg. Push hips forward while keeping back straight. Youll feel the stretch from front hip to thigh through back leg. 20-30 second hold and repeat about five times.
2. Static Gluteals
Lie with your legs and back straight. Tighten your butt muscles by clenching and hold for ten seconds. Repeat 10-15 times.
3. Bridge
Lie with back with knees bent and squeeze your butt, lifting it from the floor. Dont arch the back. Relax and return to start. Ten repeats for a rep.
4. Active Hip Flexion
5. Active Hip Abduction
Why Do My Hip Joints Feel Stiff
Loss of range of motion with hip osteoarthritis can be due to a number of factors:
- Postural and movement habits. Often due to pain or fear of pain, many start excessive protecting their hip e.g., standing with weight on the other side and the hip and knee of the painful side bent. The less you straighten that hip, the less you will be able to straighten it! Although forcing extremes of range can be provocative, you must use the painfree range you have to maintain it.
- Thickening and tightening of the joint capsule. As part of the inflammatory process the fibrous capsule around the joint can stiffen up, and a lack of exercise can allow the capsule to tighten further.
- Muscle weakness. The weaker your muscles get, the less range they will be able to move you through again comes back to use it or lose it.
- Muscle guarding and tightness. Muscle guarding can occur as the body instinctively tries to protect itself. This can reduce your range of motion.
Bony spurs. One of the main restrictions to flexibility in moderate to advanced stages of osteoarthritis, are bony spurs. Extra bone is deposited around the ball and socket joint. This is a part of your bodys attempt to help heal the joint, but unfortunately it can significantly reduce your flexibility. There is nothing that can be done with bony range limitations and forcing the hip into a bony block to joint range will usually just make it very irritated!
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