ARTHRITIS OF THE HIP
ADVICE AND EXERCISES
- Try to avoid being overweight.
- Try to vary daily activities to avoid sitting, standing or walking for long periods.
- Try to avoid going up and downstairs frequently.
- Try to avoid carrying heavy weights e.g. the whole weeks shopping in one go!
- Try to lie on your front for at least 1/2 hour every day.
- If possible do your exercises lying on the floor; beds tend to be too soft.
EXERCISES
1) Lying on your back with your weight supported on your forearms; with your lknee straight, pull your foot up towards you, tighten your thigh muscle by pressing the back of your knee into the floor; HOLD tight for 3 seconds, then relax. Repeat this TEN times, then rest. Repeat the WHOLE of the above TWICE more.
2) Lying flat on your back, bend your hip and knee up as far as you can, then straighten out. Repeat this SLOWLY 20 times.
3) Lying flat on your back, keep your knee straight and your toes pointing up to the ceiling, move your leg SLOWLY out to the side as far as you can then back in again.
Repeat this 20 times.
You can also do this exercise lying on your side with your affected leg uppermost and the lower leg bent slightly, brace your knee back, keep your toes pointing straight forwards raise your leg, then lower.
4) Lying on your back with your weight supported on your forearms; tighten your bottom muscles by squeezing your buttocks together, hold for 3 seconds then relax.
Repeat this SLOWLY 20 times.
THESE EXERCISES SHOULD BE PRACTICED TWICE OR THREE TIMES A DAY.