Two hip strengthening exercises to use in physical therapy

Sitting down to chat with friends. Walking to the mailbox. Bending down to grab something from a low shelf at the grocery store. All these normal daily tasks can be harder to do if you have a hip problem. 

Unfortunately, far too many Americans are living with issues that cause hip pain and other symptoms. For instance, it’s estimated that more than 27 million U.S. adults have hip osteoarthritis. Physical therapy can be an excellent option for treating the pain and other symptoms of hip problems. Therapeutic exercises are one of the most common treatment techniques therapists use for hip issues, and there are two hip strengthening exercises that are often included in physical therapy plans for the hip.

1. Clamshell exercise

Several hip strengthening exercises can add benefits to your physical therapy plan. One option that your physical therapist may show you how to do is the clamshell exercise. This exercise is intended to strengthen the gluteus medius, which helps stabilize your pelvis and hips. It can also help balance the muscles of the butt, pelvic floor, and inner and outer thigh. 

How to perform the clamshell exercise

• Lie down on the floor or a bed with your affected hip up. 

• Pull your knees up toward your chest until they’re bent at about 45 degrees. 

• Raise the top knee upward slowly while keeping your feet together. 

• Slowly lower your knee back to the starting position. 

• Repeat these steps until you’ve completed 10 to 15 repetitions; then do 10 to 15 repetitions with the other leg. 

2. Side-lying leg lift

Another physical therapy exercise that’s used to improve hip strength is the side-lying leg lift. This exercise helps build strength in the gluteus medius, and it can also help increase the strength of other hip stabilizers like the gluteus minimus and thigh muscles. 

How to perform the side-lying leg lift exercise

• Lie down on a yoga mat or a bed with your affected hip upward. 

• Keep your leg as straight as possible while slowly raising it into the air.

• Slowly lower your leg back to the starting position. 

• Repeat these movements until you’ve done 10 to 15 repetitions. You can then repeat these steps with your other leg. 

Advent Physical Therapy can help you find more hip strengthening exercises and therapy techniques

Need more help boosting the strength in your hips? Our team at Advent Physical Therapy can help you find the most effective strengthening options for you. We offer complimentary screenings that can pinpoint the root cause of your hip weakness. Additionally, our team excels at building personalized therapy plans designed to reduce pain and improve the strength and function of your hips. We can even help you from home thanks to our virtual therapy and at-home care services, and we can get you started with physical therapy even if you don’t have a doctor’s referral. 

Contact our team today for more information about our therapy services or to schedule an initial appointment.