Hip Osteoarthritis Intermediate Exercise Programme
Aim to perform this programme a minimum of once per day unless prescribed otherwise. As with any new exercise, start slowly (repetitions as able) and build up as you are able within the guidelines below.
Pain should not exceed 4/10 whilst completing this exercise programme.
1. Bridge with leg lift
- Lie on your back on the floor or bed with your knees bent at 90 degrees and your feet on the floor and your arms down by your side.
- Push your heels down into the floor to gently lift your hips upwards. Lift as high as you feel comfortable but no higher than a straight line between hips, knees and shoulders.
- If you feel discomfort, then try squeezing your tummy and bum muscles before starting the lift.
- From this position lift one leg slightly off the floor and return.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
- Try and keep the pelvis still.
2. Piriformis stretch in sitting
- Start in sitting on a kitchen chair (not too soft).
- Bring the left foot onto the top of the right knee.
- Now gently apply some downward pressure to the left knee.
- Once you have done this slowly lean forwards until you feel a stretch in the bum muscle on the left side.
- Repeat on the other leg.
3. Supported squat
- Start with the feet shoulder width apart and hold onto a stable object (e.g., banister or kitchen sink) at about waist height.
- From this position bend your knees and sit backwards as if you are sitting into a chair.
- As you do so lean slightly forwards at the hips so that your head stays over your feet.
- Make sure that your weight is going through your heels at all times.
- Go as low as you feel comfortable but no lower than your thighs parallel with the floor.
We recommend consulting a musculoskeletal physiotherapist to ensure exercises are best suited to your recovery. If you are carrying out an exercise regime without consulting a healthcare professional, you do so at your own risk. If you have any concerns whilst completing these exercises, please contact a healthcare professional.
More Plans
Exercise rehabilitation for hip osteoarthritis involves a progression from a gentle range of motion exercises to help restore and maintain the movement of your hip, to strength-based exercises to ensure the surrounding muscles are strong enough to adequately support and protect the joint (7, 8). In the earlier stages of treatment, stretching exercises that target tighter muscles around the hip joint have been shown to improve function and reduce pain (8). Pain should not exceed 4/10 on your perceived pain scale whilst completing this exercise programme.
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By this point, you will have worked on restoring the range of motion in the affected hip and strengthening the supporting muscles. This is the time to make the programme more specific to activities of daily living such as walking, climbing stairs and bending amongst others. Pain should not exceed 4/10 on your perceived pain scale whilst completing this exercise programme.
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