Patient & Family Guide

2022

Hip Exercises

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 Hip Exercises

Do your exercises 3 times each day.

Stretching guidelines
Before you start your stretching:
• Use heat (like a hot pack, hot water bottle, or
soak in warm water) for about 10 to 15 minutes
before activity to help loosen up your hip.
OR
• Walk or bike for 5 minutes.
While stretching:
• Wear loose-fitting clothes.
• Take a breath at the beginning of the stretch
and slowly breathe out during the stretch.
Do not hold your breath.
• Stretch slowly. Do not bounce during the stretch.
• Stretch enough so that you feel a little
discomfort, but not severe (too hard to handle)
pain.
• Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.
• Relax and then do the stretch again. Do each
stretch 3 times.

1
 Hip adductor stretch
• Lie on your back.
• Bend your knees with
your feet flat on the floor.
• Let your knees lower to
the sides.
• The bottoms of your feet should turn towards
each other.
• You should feel a stretch on the inside of your legs
and groin.
• Relax and hold for 30 seconds.
• Bring your knees back together with your feet flat
on the floor.
• Relax.
• Repeat 3 times.

Hip flexor stretch

• Lie on your back and let your affected leg hang
over the edge of the bed.
• Pull your unaffected knee upwards by placing
your hands behind your knee.
• You should feel a stretch on the front of your
affected hip.
• Hold for 30 seconds.
• Relax.
• Repeat 3 times.

2
 Quad stretch (Option 1)
• Lie on the side of your unaffected hip.
• Put a pillow between your knees.
• Using your hand, or with the help of a belt or a
towel, hold the foot that is on the same side as
your affected hip.
• Pull your heel
towards your
buttocks (bum).
• Keep your thighs straight
and in line with each
other.
• You should feel a stretch on the front of your
thigh.
• Hold for 30 seconds and then relax.
• Relax. Repeat 3 times.
OR Option 2
• While standing, use a counter or a
table for support.
• Using your hand, or with the help of a
belt or a towel, hold the foot that is on
the same side as your affected hip.
• Pull the heel of your foot towards your buttocks.
• Keep your thigh straight and in line with your
other leg. You should feel a stretch on the front of
your thigh.
• Hold for 30 seconds and then relax.
• Relax. Repeat 3 times.
3
 Hamstring stretch
• Place your affected leg on
a stool or a bench.
• Bend forward at the hip.
• Keep your knee and back
straight.
• Hold for 30 seconds.
• Relax.
• Repeat 3 times.

Piriformis stretch
• Sit on the floor.
• Keep one leg straight and
cross the affected leg over it.
• Bring your crossed knee
towards your opposite
shoulder.
• Hold for 30 seconds.
• Relax.
• Repeat 3 times.

4
 Hip stretch
• Place the foot of your affected
hip a little behind the other
foot.
• Keep both feet flat on the floor.
• With your hands on your hips,
slowly push your hips forward
and lean back.
• Hold for 30 seconds.
• You should feel a stretch on the
front of your affected hip.
• Relax.
• Repeat 3 times.

Iliotibial band (ITB) stretch

• Stand on your affected leg,
then cross your other leg in
front of it.
• Lean away from your affected
leg until you feel a stretch.
• Hold for 30 seconds.
• Relax.
• Repeat 3 times.

5
Strengthening exercises
While exercising:
• Take a breath at the beginning of the exercise
and slowly breathe out during the exercise.
Do not hold your breath.
• Do the exercise slowly. Do not bounce or force
yourself into a position.

Straight leg raise

• Bend your unaffected
leg and place your
foot flat on the bed.
• Lift your affected leg about 6 inches while
keeping the leg as straight as possible.
• Hold for 5 seconds.
• Relax.
• Repeat 10 times.

Bridging
• Lie on your back with your knees bent.
• Tighten your buttocks and raise your hips off the
floor as high as you can.
• Hold for 5 seconds.
• Slowly lower
yourself.
• Relax.
• Repeat 10 times.
6
 Hip abduction
• Lie on your unaffected side.
• Bend your bottom leg for balance.
• Lift your affected leg 6 to 8 inches while keeping it
as straight as possible.
• Hold for 5 seconds.
• Slowly lower your leg.
• Relax.
• Repeat 10 times.

Hip adduction
• Lie on your side with your top leg bent and in
front of your lower leg.
• Roll your top hip slightly forward.
• Use your top arm to support you.
• Lift lower leg from the floor.
• Keep your toes pointed forward.
• Relax.
• Repeat
10 times.

7
 Hip extension
• Lie on your stomach.
• Lift your affected leg 8 inches while keeping your
knee straight.
• Hold for
5 seconds.
• Slowly lower your
leg.
• Relax.
• Repeat 10 times.

Hip rotation
• Sit in a chair with your back straight.
• Swing your ankle of the affected leg to the right.
• Do not lean to the side.
• Hold for 5 seconds.
• Relax and then swing your
ankle to the left.
• Hold for 5 seconds.
• Relax.
• Repeat in both directions
10 times.

8
 Hamstring curls
• Lie on your stomach.
• Bend your knee by bringing your heel toward
your buttocks.
• Hold for 5 seconds.
• Slowly lower your
leg.
• Relax.
• Repeat 10 times.

Knee extension
• Sit in a chair with your back straight.
• Straighten the knee of your affected leg without
lifting your
buttocks or leg off
the chair.
• Hold for 5 seconds.
• Slowly lower your
leg.
• Relax.
• Repeat 10 times.

9
Tubing exercises
• Loop or loosely tie tubing just above the ankle of
your affected leg.
• Tie the opposite end to an object that will not
move.
• Move a distance from the object that causes the
tubing to start stretching, so that you feel the
tubing pulling a little.
• Do the exercise slowly. Then slowly let the tubing
pull your leg back after finishing the exercise.

Hip flexion with knee straight

• Hold onto something for balance.
• Push your leg forward while keeping your knee
straight.
• Keep your toes pointed straight ahead.
• Keep your back straight. Do not lean back.
• Hold for
5 seconds.
• Relax.
• Repeat 10 times.

10
 Hip extension
• Hold onto something for balance.
• Push your leg backward while keeping your knee
straight.
• Keep your toes pointed straight ahead.
• Keep your back
straight. Do not lean
forward.
• Hold for 5 seconds.
• Relax.
• Repeat 10 times.

Hip abduction
• Hold onto something for balance.
• Push your leg out to the side while keeping your
knee straight.
• Keep your toes
pointed straight
ahead.
• Keep your back
straight. Do not
lean to the side.
• Hold for 5 seconds.
• Relax.
• Repeat 10 times.
11
 Hip adduction
• Hold onto something for
balance.
• Start with your leg out to the
side and stand far enough
away so that the tubing is a
little stretched.
• Pull your leg towards your
other leg.
• Keep your toes pointed straight ahead.
• Keep your back straight. Do not lean to the side.
• Hold for 5 seconds.
• Relax.
• Repeat 10 times.

Knee flexion
• Hold onto something for balance.
• Bend your knee by
bringing the heel of your
affected leg toward your
buttocks.
• Do not move your hip.
• Keep your back straight.
Do not lean forward.
• Hold for 5 seconds.
• Relax.
• Repeat 10 times.

12
 Hip flexion with knee bend
• Hold onto something for balance.
• Lift your knee
upwards.
• Keep your back
straight. Do not lean
forward.
• Hold for 5 seconds.
• Relax.
• Repeat 10 times.

Knee extension
• Sit in a chair with
your back straight.
• Straighten your leg.
• Keep the back of
your leg on the chair.
• Hold for 5 seconds.
• Relax.
• Repeat 10 times.

13
 Hip rotation
• Sit in a chair with your back straight.
• Push your ankle against the tubing.
• Hold for 5 seconds.
• Do not lean to the side.
• Relax.
• Repeat 10 times.
• Do this stretch pushing both towards and away
from your other leg.

If you have any questions, please ask.

We are here to help you.

Physiotherapist:

Phone:

14
 Notes:

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Prepared by: Physiotherapy

Illustration by: Physiotherapy staff, Visual Health Information © exercise cards
Designed by: Nova Scotia Health Library Services

The information in this pamphlet is for informational and educational purposes only.
The information is not intended to be and does not constitute health care or medical advice.
If you have any questions, please ask your health care provider.

WB85-0921 © May 2022 Nova Scotia Health Authority

The information in this pamphlet is to be updated every 3 years or as needed.