Hip pain? Try these 3 exercises to build strength and mobility

Have you ever felt hip pain while walking, sitting at your desk or lying on the couch or in bed?

There can be many causes of hip pain, including arthritis, tears or injury to the cartilage in the hip joint, or bony deformities causing impingement. Other causes could be pain radiating from low-back problems or weakness of the muscles around the joint from tightness, causing loss of mobility of the joint.

Symptoms may include pain, which can be located in the groin area or around the lateral hip area. Another common sign is pinching in the anterior and/or groin area with movement.

You may want to be evaluated by a hip specialist if you experience symptoms such as:

• Inflammation
• Stiffness or limitation of activity
• Hip pain during and after activity
• Pain in the hip and groin area provoked by motion
• Pressure or tightness
• Locking or catching sensation in your hip joint

How can you relieve hip pain?

There are several approaches to relieving hip pain, including:

• Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory pain medicines, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen
• Rest
• A combination of ice and heat compresses
• Physical therapy for stretching, strengthening and balance exercises
• Injections
• Surgery

These options may be tried alone or in conjunction with one another to ease hip discomfort.

If you’re referred to work with a physical therapist, you’ll likely focus on a variety of strengthening, flexibility and mobility techniques. These can either be done post-surgery or as an alternative to surgery.

When should you see a doctor for hip pain?

I typically instruct people to seek medical help if their pain or symptoms persist for two to three weeks and don’t respond to self-care treatments such as rest, heat /ice or exercise modifications. If pain limits their ability to sleep and to do the things they want to do, that also means it’s time to see a doctor.

Be sure to talk to your doctor or physical therapist to create the best exercise program for you to prevent further injury.

Exercises to help strengthen muscles around the hips