Healthy You
Hack Your Hips
Stiff and cranky where you used to let loose? These moves can reduce soreness and your risk of injury
“HIP” IS A SYNONYM for “cool.” But as we get older, many of us find that our hips are not cool at all: Decreased bone and muscle mass and changes in synovial fluid—the lubrication in our joints—can lead to pain and stiffness, says Dr. Sarah E. Rizzo, an orthopedic surgeon at UR Medicine in Rochester, New York.
The exercises outlined here, assembled by Rizzo and University of Rochester hip rehabilitation team coordinator Tyler Murray, “not only take minimal time and effort but are safe to do at any age,” says Rizzo. Perform all four each day in any order you wish. And while one move requires lying on a bed, all four exercises can be done in bed or alongside it, making it easy to start and end your day with maximum hipness.
Lying Hip Flexor Stretch
Lie flat on your back on a bed, then shimmy yourself to the left so that your left leg is dangling off the side. Lift and bend your right leg and place your right foot flat on the mattress. Rest your hands on your stomach. Now bend your left knee as far as you comfortably can and place your left heel on the floor. You should feel a slight stretch along the front of your left thigh and hip. Hold for three minutes, keeping your head, shoulders and back flat on the bed. Then repeat the stretch with your right leg.
Bridges
Lie flat on your back with your legs bent and your feet flat on the floor or bed. Wrap your arms across your chest, placing each hand on the opposite shoulder. Pull your stomach in and gently contract your core muscles. Holding this posture, slowly raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from your knees down to your shoulders. Hold at the top for five seconds, lower yourself back down and repeat 15 to 30 times.
Curl-Ups
Lie on your back, hands under your lower back, palms down. Bend one leg and place that foot flat on the floor or bed; keep your other leg extended. Gently tighten your core muscles. Keeping your elbows on the mattress, slowly elevate your head and shoulders a few inches. Don’t tuck your chin—your head, neck and upper back should stay aligned. Hold for a beat, then lower yourself back down. Perform 15 repetitions, then switch legs and do another set of 15.
Lying Figure 4 Stretch
Lie on your back, legs bent and feet flat on the floor or bed. Raise your left leg and rest your left ankle on your right knee. Keep your arms at your sides, palms down. Hold this position for 30 seconds, then put your left foot back down. Repeat the stretch twice more, resting for 15 to 30 seconds between each stretch, then switch positions to work the opposite leg.
Myatt Murphy is the former fitness director of Men’s Health and the author of more than two dozen books on health and exercise.