Hip arthritis causes pain and stiffness that limits your ability to enjoy many physical activities. Many people with hip arthritis exercise on their own or under the guidance of a physical therapist to help reduce arthritic pain and improve their mobility.
It’s great if you’re thinking about taking up exercising to improve your hip condition when you have arthritis. However, there are some exercises that can make your hip pain worse. Take a look below to discover which exercises you should avoid if you don’t want to make your hip arthritis worse.
1. Exercises that require a lot of bending at the hips
Many exercises for hip pain will involve some amount of bending at the hips, but some exercises put too much strain on your hips. You should avoid any exercise that causes further strain and pain when bending at the hips.
Try exercises that require more bending at the knees rather than the hips. These tend to help take some strain off the hips while strengthening the muscles connected to them.
2. Exercises on uneven terrain
Exercising on uneven terrain like stairs or when hiking outdoors puts additional strain on your hips. This can cause your pain and stiffness to grow worse. These exercises also increase your risk for falling, which can result in a serious injury.
Instead, focus on stationary exercises that you can perform while standing, sitting or lying in one place.
3. High-impact exercises
One of the most common ways people stay active is to run. However, when you have hip arthritis, running can be painful. Running is a high-impact exercise that sends shock all the way up your legs and into your hips and lower back.
Instead of running, try swimming or bicycling to stay fit and reduce the impact on your hips.
4. Weightlifting exercises
Exercises that involve lifting heavy weights with your legs increase strain on the hips. Avoid these exercises and focus on exercises that just use your body weight instead. If you make enough progress, your physical therapist may recommend some light weights or other exercises with increased resistance to meet your needs.
Visit Panther Physical Therapy for hip arthritis treatment
Are you looking to reduce pain and stiffness caused by arthritis in your hips with natural treatments like physical therapy? Our physical therapists at Panther Physical Therapy are highly trained and skilled in identifying which exercises can be most beneficial for you. Contact our team today for more information about treating hip arthritis or to schedule an initial appointment.