Physiotherapy Hip Strength Exercises

This class is for you if you have one or more of the following:

• Hip pain

• Trochanteric bursitis

• Knee pain

• Back pain

• Poor balance

• Weak hip muscles

• A limp or waddle when you walk

This class includes the following exercises:

1. Hip Raises

This exercise help to build your side hip muscles like your tensor fasciae latae which joins to your ITB and your gluteus medius muscle. Both muscles help with balance & walking. If you have bursitis, it's crucial to build these muscles so that they don't become short & taught & friction against your trochanteric bursa when you walk or use the stairs.

1. Lay on your side with your bottom knee bent & your top knee straight

2. Squeeze your top buttock / hip muscle

3. Squeeze your quad, flex your foot forward

4. Lift up & lower down slowly & with control

5. You should feel a burn on the side of your hip

Repeat 1 - 3 sets of 10 reps each side

2. Hip Circles

Like hip raises, this exercise works your TFL, gluteus medius & also your gluteus maximus muscle (your hip extensor). When performing this exercise, imagine your drawing a small circle with your heel (the size of an entree plate).

1. As above

2. Squeeze your top hip & glute muscle

3. Straight your leg & flex your foot so that your toes are pointing forward

4. Draw a small circle with your heel while keeping your knee straight (watch the video)

This exercise is a killer for the hips & should burn. I tell my patients that by the end of 10 repetitions, it should feel like your leg is about to snap off from your hip.

Repeat 1-3 sets of 10 reps each side

3. Inner Thigh Raises

We've worked the lateral (outer) hip muscles, now it's time to work the medial (inner) hip muscles. Inner thigh raises target your adductor muscles which originate from the groin & join below the inside of your knee joint.

1. Lay on your side with your top leg bent and foot resting in front of you

2. Keep your bottom knee straight

3. Raise your bottom leg up & down slowly with control

This exercise should be felt along the inside of your thigh.

Repeat 1-3 sets x 10 reps each side

4. Bridges

Bridges target your core, quadriceps muscles & your posterior chain muscles (glute maximus and hamstrings) making it a great all rounder.

1. Lay on your back with your knees bent

2. Squeeze your bottom

3. Push through your heels and lift up your bottom

4. Hold for 1-5 seconds (the longer the harder)

5. Lower down your bottom, keeping it sqeezed

This exercise should NOT be felt in your lower back. If you do feel it in your lower back, you need to squeeze your bottom more.

Repeat 1-3 sets 10 reps, 1-5 second hold

5. Hug Knees

A lovely stretch after performing bridges, this stretches your lower back & glute muscles, while also gently decompressing your lumbar spine.

1. Lay on your back & hug your knees to your chest

Repeat 4 x hold for 20 seconds each

6. Clams

Probably the one exercise that nearly all of my patients dislike! They find it boring. They find it burning. But it's probably my most useful exercise for hip pain, back pain and knee pain because it targets the gluteus medius muscle, an important muscle for walking and balancing.

1. Lay on your side with your knees bent, your hips stacked & your heels touching

2. Maintaining the heel contact, squeeze your top buttock & lift your top knee

3. You need to keep the top buttock squeeze throughout the exercise

Important notes: this exercise is typically performed incorrectly because we have a tendency to compensate with our quadriceps or use momentum to flick up the top leg. If you're not feeling it around your top buttock or hip muscle, roll your top hip slightly forward.

Repeat 1-3 sets 10 repetitions, 1 second hold

How often should I do these?

I recommend that you do these exercises 3 x per week until you regain some movement and your pain is decreased. THEN, try one of my harder exercise classes like this one. If you need to improve your hip flexibility, try my hip stretch class.

Remember, never ever push into more pain while you're doing these exercises and always go see your doctor or physiotherapist if your back pain is not getting better.

You've finished a Physio Workout!

While most people sit around & complain - YOU, my friend took the initiative to look after your body & your health!

WELL DONE!