Hip pain can disrupt your day-to-day life and stop you in your tracks. If you are suffering from hip pain, here are some simple stretches you can do to help relieve some of the pain you are experiencing. These stretches can also help to strengthen your hip muscles which will help you move around with greater ease.
Do not push yourself if you are unable to do all of the stretches. Do what you can and work your way up. Make sure you warm up by taking a brisk walk or jog for 10-15 minutes before stretching.
Hip Flexor Stretch: The first stretch you can do to relieve and strengthen your hip muscles is the hip flexor stretch. For this stretch you will start out in a lunge. Put one knee on the floor and stretch the other leg in front of you. Bend the leg in front at a 90-degree angle with your foot on the ground making sure it is flat. Now place your hands on your hips. Push your torso and pelvis forward, continue until you feel the stretch in your hip flexor. Once you feel that stretch stop for a minimum of 30 seconds working your way up to 1-2 minutes on each side. Continue stretching further as you work your way up to a longer stretch time.
Butterfly Stretch: The next stretch you can do is called the butterfly stretch. For this stretch you will sit on the ground. While sitting you will bend your legs and bring the bottom of your feet together, so they are touching. Once your feet are together, allow your knees to fall down to each side. Now inch your heels closer to your body and lean forward. Use your elbows to advance your knees down to the ground. Just as the last stretch you will start out doing this stretch for 30 seconds and work up to 1-2 minutes per day.
Pigeon Pose: Next is pigeon pose. This stretch begins on all fours. Once you are comfortable bring your left knee forward towards your left wrist and place your ankle next to your right hip. Now you will extend your right leg behind you and allow your upper body to bend over your left leg. Once you settle into the pose allow yourself to go deeper into the stretch. Once you have completed the stretch for 30 second up to 2 minutes depending on your comfort level, repeat on the other side.
Figure Four: Another great stretch for your hips is the figure four stretch. This stretch is performed by laying on your back. Then you will bend your legs and place your feet flat on the ground. Now put your left ankle over your right knee. Clasp your hands together around the back of your right leg and bring it towards your chest. You should feel this stretch through your hip and glutes.
Yoga Squat: The Yoga squat is performed by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Then bend your knees and lower your bottom to the ground. Place your arms in the prayer position and breathe while your elbows press your thighs apart.
Leg Swings: The sixth and final stretch is leg swings. To perform this stretch you will need to brace yourself with a table or some other stable surface. Now you will step back about 12 inches or so and swing your leg side to side trying not to twist your upper body. After that turn your side while bracing the wall and swing your leg back and forth. This allows you to stretch your hamstrings, glutes and hip flexors.
If these stretches are too difficult or painful to perform, ice your hip beforehand to see if that helps. If not, reach out to your doctor to seek further assessment. Try to stretch every day. The more time you can devote to stretching the easier it will become and the healthier you will begin to feel.