Hip Fitness and What You Can Do About It

Following the right exercise plan at the Riviera Centre is an effective way to prevent problems and ensure your hip health is at its optimum. The hip is responsible for supporting your weight whether you are moving or in a static position.

Why hips become painful

The hips allow you to carry out fluid movements, they are strong but over time suffer from normal wear and tear. Pain at the hips may be caused by several factors such as inflammation of the hip joint leading to arthritis (common in older adults). Aging has also an impact on the hips because as bones become brittle and weak you are prone to falls and injuries causing hip fractures.

In the UK, roughly 536,000 of ‘new fragility fractures’ occur each year and there are more than 3.21 million people age 50 years and above affected with osteoporosis (International Osteoporosis Foundation, 2010). Overexertion of efforts can also cause pain that may result in tears and inflammation of the hip. If you exercise and are active, but are doing the wrong types of movement, you can still suffer from hip pain.

Adopting the right exercise mix to keep hips healthy

Exercises are good for you but the correct way to do it is not often obvious. What is important to note is that supple muscles are key for pain-free hips and knees. Strengthening your muscles will assist in relieving pain at the hips. Strong muscles can help support the functions of a hip or knee joint, taking over some of that role. Effectively, exercise can also serve as a treatment method for damaged knees and hips.

There are different types of exercises that you can do to strengthen your hips. Floor exercises such as crunches and abdominal curl are great at fortifying your endurance and ultimately, hips. A simple exercise to strengthen hip flexors is to lie on your back, bend your knees and lift your hips off the ground holding it for a few seconds. Picking up weights in different directions also works well.

One of the best ways to exercise the hips is to get in the water and do aqua aerobics - see Waves Leisure Pool timetable. Swimming is also a great form of physical movement and has numerous health benefits. Water is calming and good for relaxation. More importantly, it cannot hurt any of your body parts including hips, at all.

The condition of your hip is vital in ensuring that your day-to-day living is fuss-free. Limited mobility because of a painful hip affects the quality of your life. The good news is there is something you can do about it by performing the right types of exercise for limber muscles and ultimately, healthy hips.If in doubt ask one of our Personal Trainers to advise you on the best exercises for your circumstances.