Our hips are pretty cool joints. The hips and the shoulders are the only two joints in our body that are ball and socket joints. This means that the hip can move in many different directions. The six main directions the hip can move are forward (flexion), kick to the outside (abduction), kick to the inside (adduction), backwards (extension), rotates inward (internal rotation), and rotates outward (external rotation). But with more power comes more responsibility.
The hips are very important joints in our total body movement, function, and well being. Unfortunately, the hips can be somewhat temperamental and cause various aches, pains, and even weird snapping sensations. Check out what causes these problems and helpful hints and exercises for happy, healthy hips.
Hip Pain
Problems or pain in the hips can feel like low back pain, groin pain, or even pelvic pain. Because the hips are such complex joints there are many muscles, ligaments, and other components that all need to be working in synchrony for the hips to function properly.
Some of the common causes of hip pain include:
- Joint laxity (such as during pregnancy)
- Muscle weakness
- Prolonged positions (especially sitting)
- Muscle or tissue tightness
- Obesity or sudden weight gain (pregnancy again)
- Labral tear, bursitis, arthritis, or other condition that would need to be evaluated and treated by the appropriate medical professional
Pain in the front of the hip:
Pain or tightness felt in the front of the hip may be due to prolonged or excessive sitting. Prolonged sitting shortens the muscles in the front of our hips, our hip flexors. When theses muscles become shortened they often become weak. This can present as a tightness sensation. This tightness feeling is the body trying to provide some stability to compensate for that hip flexor weakness. They best way to combat this is to actually strengthen the hip flexors.
Another sensation often felt in the front of the hip is pinching. This is may be felt with motions that involve flexing your hip such as squats or stairs. Sometimes a snapping or popping sensation is felt on the front of the hip. Have no fear. This is usually just the hip flexor muscle rolling over another boney structure in your hip. The best treatment for this sensation is again to strengthen your hip flexors and your abdominal muscles. You might want to try some of these core strengthening exercises to build abdominal strength.
Pain in the side of the hip:
Problems can also occur on the outside of the hip. Muscle tightness of the piriformis or glutes can cause pain and discomfort in this area. Try some of these piriformis stretches to relieve that tightness. Again, you might also experience a snapping sensation felt on the outside of your hip. This is often your iliotibial band, or ITB. Your ITB is a long thick band of fascia. The snapping sensation occurs when your ITB snaps over a boney aspect of your hip (the greater trochanter). This is often due to poor alignment, tightness, or gluteal weakness. Try strengthening your gluteal muscles to prevent or decrease this hip popping sensation.
Pain in the back or groin:
Pain felt near your lower back or the back side of your hip may be due to hamstring tightness or pelvic dysfunction. Be sure to check out my post devoted entirely to pelvic pain and try out some of these exercises to reset your pelvis. Many people with “bad hips” may also experience groin pain. Groin pain may also actually be due to poor hip function and mobility. Keep reading to find out why mobility matters and how to get your hips movin and groovin.
Hip Mobility Exercises
Hip mobility is very important for the prevention of hip pain. Mobility is the ability to take your joint through its full active range of motion.
Having sufficient mobility to a joint can:
- reduces stiffness
- decrease soreness
- improve blood flow
- decrease stress on surrounding joints
As previously mentioned many of us spend much of our day sitting. And even those of us who are up moving around, standing, or walking, are not regularly taking our hip joints through their full range of motion. This leads to tightness, weakness, and immobility.
Try out some of these stretches and exercises to improve your hip mobility and help you get some happy healthy hips:
Stretches:
Hip Flexor Stretch
Lay on your stomach. Using your hand reach around and gently pull your foot towards your buttocks. If you can not reach your foot you can use a towel or belt looped around your foot. Hold at least 30 seconds
Pigeon Pose
Cross one leg in front of your body while the other leg is extended back behind you. Gently lean forward over the front leg. Hold at least 30 seconds.
Butterfly Pose
Sitting place your feet together with your knees flailing outwards. Gently lean forward between your knees. Hold at least 30 seconds.
Mobility Exercises:
Side Lunge
Start standing and lunge deeply over one leg while keeping your opposite knee straight. You should feel a stretch near your inner thigh and groin. Repeat to the opposite side.
Standing CARs
Start in a standing position. Lift your knee up as high as you can without rounding your lower back. Keep your knee up and move your knee to the outside. Keep the knee there and rotate the hip inwards and backwards. Finally bring the knee back down so it is in line with the standing leg. Repeat 5 times each leg.
Seated Mobility Flow
Start in a seated position. Rotate your body and hips such that you are side sitting. Rise to kneeling position and thrust hips forward over your front leg. Slowly return to sitting and repeat on the opposite side. (HINT: this is great practice for getting up off the floor without using your hands)
What’s Next?
Our hips are a very important part of our body. Much of the force that is placed on our body from standing and walking is transferred through our pelvis and our hips. Our hips need to be mobile and strong for optimal function and minimal pain. Feel free to drop a comment with any other questions you might have about the hips. Or follow me on Instagram at @movinglikeamother for more tips, tricks, and quick advice.
