Tips for Improving Your Hip Mobility
If you care about your health then mobility issues will be the bane of your existence. Not only can they impact your day-to-day life but they can also hinder your ability to exercise effectively. Hip mobility issues can be among the most inconvenient and debilitating to experience.
They’re also on the rise. The total number of primary hip replacements performed continues to increase with almost 88,000 performed in the most recent year for which data is available.
If you’re having hip mobility issues and you want to do something about them then this is the guide for you.
What Is Mobility?
Before we get into the ways in which you can treat your hip mobility issues let’s first look at what exactly we mean by mobility and why it’s so important. Mobility merely refers to the ability to move your body freely and without pain or stiffness. Usually, it is also used by Physical Therapists to describe the ability to move a joint through the entire range of motion. Mobility issues can arise for many reasons.
It could be an area that’s not getting enough exercise or that you’ve injured in some way. Mobility issues can also be a natural part of aging. Limited mobility can prevent you from engaging in certain activities and generally reduce your overall quality of life.
The Importance of Hip Mobility
You may not be aware of just how much you use your hips on a daily basis but suffice it to say they’re pretty important. Having hip mobility is important because it helps you to exercise but it can also prevent lower back pain. Proper hip mobility can also stop you from injuring yourself. If you want to work towards having better hip mobility then there are some steps you can take.
Hip Mobility Exercises
The first thing to remember when you’re looking to improve your mobility in any area is to begin slowly. Don’t do too much too soon because you could end up badly injuring yourself.
One of the best beginner exercises if you want to improve mobility in your hips is through controlled articular rotations. This will take your hips through their full range of motion.
Another thing you can try is isometric strengthening. There are two main types:
- Progressive angle Isometric loading
- Regressive angle Isometric loading
When you get to working on it, remember that there is a difference between mobility and flexibility. A lot of people confuse the two.
Flexibility is passive, while mobility is active.
You can be flexible without being mobile, but it is difficult to be mobile without being flexible. This is why it is important to work on both, instead of just stretching like many people.
Combine strengthening techniques with stretching for best results. If you want to increase your flexibility then a simple hip flexor stretch can be really effective.
To do this movement, start by kneeling down. Then come onto one foot while leaving the other knee on the floor similar to the ‘Will you marry me?’ pose. Put your hands on the knee that’s raised, and press your hips down and forward lightly to engage the muscles there. Repeat on both sides and hold this stretch for up to 2 minutes at a time.
Finally, try lying hip rotations. As the name suggests these are done while lying on the ground. Not only is this move good for your hips but it also mobilizes all the joints in your body from the waist down.
Create a Healthier Your Today
Hip mobility is something that you’ll need to think about more and more the older you get. Make sure you retain a full range of motion so you’re able to live as healthy a life as possible no matter what age you are.
Maintaining good hip mobility while you are younger helps keeps everything else is alignment, which means everything from your knees to your feet, and even your back wear down naturally. This helps your joints from wearing down unnaturally and earlier than they should, giving you a higher quality of life into your older years.
Let Us help You Out
At CONDITIONerd we are here to help you achieve better physical and mental health through exercise. Check out the plans we offer to our customers and see if you could benefit from working with our team. And if you have questions, you can always contact a CONDITIONerd team member.
Personal trainers, like those found here, can help guide you on your pathway towards reaching your fitness goals, whether that is getting bigger, stronger, faster, more lean, or just generally feeling better.
We can get you setup with a periodized workout plan, supplement information, and advice on nutrition to help you reach your goals.
The only thing you need is some motivation and a willingness to change some old habits.
Get into contact with us to find out what membership is right for you. In a CONDITIONerd program, you’ll be surrounded by others who can help you to get where you want to be.
Generally, our clients start to see some pretty awesome changes in 2-3 months time, some sooner.
