Understanding Hip Pain Arthritis & Its Impact on Daily Life

Arthritis as a condition is chronic, meaning it is lifelong and can worsen with age and other medical complications. Arthritis often implants bones, joints, and cartilages that result in inflammation and rapid wear and tear causing stiffness, soreness, and reduction in mobility. These can have several impacts on your day-to-day life and can impair it.

Living with arthritis means making changes to your lifestyle, being mindful of engaging in physiotherapy and other rehabilitation along with medication and if required, surgery.

Arthritis can be managed effectively by following these precautions that ensure that you get the best out of your life.

Importance of Exercise in Managing Hip Arthritis Pain

Exercises are crucial in managing arthritis and hip pain. The hip is an important joint in the body as it allows you to perform several activities and carries your body weight. The hip can be stressed easily if you have arthritis.

It is therefore important to engage in strengthening exercises that help improve tissue health, reduce inflammation, and keep a check on your range of motion. Regular exercises can prevent the joints from becoming stiff and can help manage pain.

Discover the Best Exercises for Managing Hip Arthritis

There are several combinations of exercises that you can try to manage hip arthritis. Here are some easy and effective ones.

Muscle-Strengthening Exercises

Muscle stretching exercises can help improve strength in the lower back, the abdomens, and the thighs. This can play a vital role in strengthening the function of the hips

Hip Bridges

The hip bridge targets the glutes, abdomen, and hamstrings. This exercise is performed by lying down on your back, with your feet close to your buttocks. Ensure that the knees are at an angle and facing up. Now slowly raise your back into the air, with your shoulders still on the ground.

You should be creating an ascending line from your knee to your shoulder. You should feel your hamstrings, glutes, and thighs stretch, along with your lower back.

Gently lower your body back to the ground and repeat a few times.

Heel-to-Buttock Exercise

Heel-to-buttock exercise is an easy and effective way to strengthen your hip. To perform this exercise, stand on your feet erect. Now slowly lift your leg and touch the heel to your buttock. You should feel like you are standing on one foot and balance yourself. 

You should feel a stretch in your thighs and hamstring. Now lower your leg and repeat with the other. It is important to keep in mind that this exercise may throw you off balance. Begin by taking support of a table or a chair, and once you are able to do it freely, continue to do so.

Hip Extension

You can perform other exercises such as variations of the hip bridge exercises, where you perform the same process, but with your legs a little wider. You may place your legs a little beyond the line of your shoulder and lift your lower back. This should make you feel your inner thighs stretch, along with your lower back and hamstrings. Repeat a few times.

Range of Motion Exercises

Range of motion exercises helps you improve the mobility and flexibility of your joints. Here are some exercises that can help you achieve it.

Leg Swings

Leg swings can help in improving the mobility of the hip. To perform this exercise, you should stand up straight and take the help of a chair or table. Now gently oscillate one leg away from your body towards the side. Repeat it a few times with your other leg

Double Hip Rotation

Double hip rotation is performed by lying down on your back and pulling your feet close to your buttocks. With your knee in the air and your feet flat on the ground, move the knees towards the floor in opposite directions alternatively on the sides. 

Move your head in the opposite direction when you do this exercise. You should feel a stretch on your lower back and thighs as you perform it.

Knee-to-Chest Exercise

To perform this exercise, lie down on a mat with your back against the floor. Lie down comfortably and slowly pull your knees, bent towards your chest. You should feel a stretch in the lower back and the thighs when you perform this. Now lower your leg back and repeat with the other.

Low-Impact Cardiovascular Exercises

These are simple exercises that aim towards building endurance and improving the overall functioning of the hips

Walking

Walking is one of the most effective ways to ensure that the mobility in the hips is not compromised. Gentle spans of walking in controlled environments without a lot of stressors such as steep inclines, or uneven walkways can have a positive impact on strengthening the hips. It also helps build the strength of the feet and knees, which are crucial in managing your weight.

Water Aerobics

Water aerobics is an easy and fun exercise to perform. Using water can be effective as it reduces friction and resistance to movement, and facilitates a fluid movement of the body. Water aerobics often has strengthening and flexibility exercises that are easier to perform in water. This is effective for people with severe cases of arthritis.

Swimming

Swimming is also an effective way of managing pain. It engages the hip and strengthens the back and legs, which can have a strong impact on the hip. Swimming also helps improve the range of motion in the joints such as the hip, knees, and shoulder, all of which may be affected due to arthritis. This helps relieve pain and inflammation.

Flexibility and Stretching Exercises

These exercises help improve flexibility in the hips and legs

Hip Flexor Stretch

Hip flexor exercises such as lunges can be effective in managing pain and improving the flexibility of the hips. To perform a lunge, you need to stand with your hands on your waist. 

Now take a “lunge” with one foot and bend your knees to a 90 degrees angle with the leg behind you stretched out. You should feel strength in the back, groin, and hamstring.

Quadriceps Stretch

Strengthening the quadriceps is also an effective way to manage your balance and improve agility. To perform them, you need to engage your quads through strengths. One of the simple stretches is to lie down on your stomach and try to grab your feet with your hands. 

You should look like a “bow” and feel the stretch in your entire body. Hold your chin up and the position for a few seconds and lower yourself back gently.

Hamstring Stretch

A simple way of performing the hamstring stretch is to sit on the food with your legs extended. Now slowly try to reach for your toes, and bend your back as you try to reach for it. Avoid bending your knees. You should be able to feel a pull under your thighs, where your hamstrings are being activated. Hold the position for as long as you can. Repeat a few times.

Precautions to Consider for Hip Arthritis

Consult with a Healthcare Professional

It is important that you consult with a healthcare professional. They are best equipped to guide you in managing the condition. They will be able to help you manage your medication and other requirements such as physical therapy and rehabilitation

Start Gradually

It is important to know that the hip is a sensitive area, and requires time to heal. Start with simple exercises and rehabilitation techniques that are suggested by your doctor. You can gradually begin to increase the intensity of the exercises based on your healing process and health conditions.

Warm-Up Before Stretching

Most people forget to engage in warm-up exercises before engaging in stretching. It is important that you engage in simple stretches and flexibility of your joints and muscles to prevent strain on the muscles.

Listen to Your Body

You may be eager to get back to your day-to-day activities, but the body requires time and patience to heal. Listen to your body and keep an eye out for signs of stress, pain, fatigue, and other ailments. If you are feeling better and your body is able to engage in physiotherapy, you can continue to do so. If not, it is advised you give time for your body to rest and heal.

Be Consistent

Consistency is one of the most crucial yet difficult requirements to heal from hip arthritis. You must be diligent with your exercise regime and follow through with them. This helps maintain the healing curve and can help in speedy recovery.

Taking Steps Towards Hip Arthritis Management with Physiotattva

Hip arthritis can be a tedious process and the recovery can be taxing. Your search for a physiotherapist stops today. At Physio Tattva, our team of experts will be able to provide you with personalized care and offer rehabilitation exercises and a series of alternative care such as heat therapy, water aerobics, and more, which may work for you. 

More importantly, they will help you be consistent with your healing regime. Reach out to us today to find out more!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you relieve arthritis pain in the hip?

Arthritis pain in the hip can be managed through physiotherapy which can include exercise, soft tissue therapy, massages, and strengthening exercises.

What exercises should I avoid with hip arthritis?

Any activities that add pressure to your joints should be avoided. Exercises that require you to engage your hips and knees should be avoided. Avoid activities such as cycling, driving, push-ups, pull-ups, skipping, etc.

Is it OK to exercise with hip pain?

A little bit of pain is manageable in the recovery process of arthritis in the hip. However, it is important to not engage in exercises that may cause severe pain in the hip. This can be damaging to the hip muscles and joints.