Dealing with a hip labral tear has been frustrating for me, especially since I love staying active. The pain and discomfort can really make it feel like my fitness routine is on pause.
But I’ve learned that there are still plenty of ways to get a good workout without aggravating the injury.
In this guide, I’ll share some of the best cardio exercises that are gentle on the hips, so you can stay fit and avoid making things worse. Let’s explore some great options to keep you moving while your body heals!
What is a Hip Labral Tear
Hip labral tears are injuries to the labrum—a ring of cartilage that surrounds the socket of the hip joint. The labrum acts like a gasket, providing stability and cushioning to the hip joint. Tears can occur due to repetitive activities like long-distance running or sports involving twisting and turning motions.
Symptoms of a hip labral tear can vary but often include:
- Stiffness in the hip
- Increasing pain when sitting or walking; sharp pain when squatting
- Clicking or catching sensations during hip movements
- Deep pain in the front of the hip or groin
- Muscle weakness around the hip
Causes of Hip Labral Tears
Hip labral tears can result from trauma [1], such as injuries from car accidents or contact sports like football, or from structural issues like hip dysplasia and femoroacetabular impingement (FAI).
Repetitive motions in activities like running or sports involving twisting and pivoting, such as golf, can also lead to wear and tear on the joint.
Hip Labral Tear Treatments
Treatment options include anti-inflammatory medications or steroid injections to manage pain and inflammation. Physical therapy is often prescribed to strengthen hip muscles, while severe cases may require arthroscopic surgery [2] to repair, reconstruct, or remove damaged tissue.
How a Hip Labral Tear Can Make Cardio Challenging
A hip labral tear can make cardio exercises difficult because it affects the stability and movement of your hip joint. The labrum cushions and stabilizes the hip, so when it’s torn, you might experience:
- Pain and Discomfort: Pain in the hip or groin area, especially during activities involving hip movement. Repetitive motions in cardio exercises can worsen this pain. High-impact activities like running or jumping add stress to the hip, increasing discomfort.
- Reduced Range of Motion: A torn labrum can limit how much you can move your hip. This makes it hard to perform cardio exercises that involve bending, twisting, or extending the hip, such as cycling or aerobics.
- Hip Instability: The damaged labrum can cause your hip to feel unstable or to “catch” or “lock.” This can be unsettling and risky during cardio exercises that require balance and coordination.
- Muscle Weakness: Weakness around the hip muscles can make it challenging to maintain proper form during exercise, increasing the risk of further injury.
Understanding which cardio exercises are safe and which to avoid is crucial when dealing with a hip labral tear. The goal is to maintain cardiovascular fitness without exacerbating the injury.
Safe Cardio Exercises
When suffering from hip pain or injury, switch to non-weight-bearing exercise that takes the burden off of your hips and knees.
“It allows you to move more freely, with less pain, and you wind up feeling better afterward,” –Vijay A. Daryanani, a physical therapist and personal trainer with Harvard – affiliated Spaulding Outpatient Center.
- Swimming: Low-impact exercise that reduces hip stress by using water buoyancy to support body weight and allow full motion without pressure.
- Stationary Cycling: Offers controlled resistance and speed, minimizing hip strain by preventing excessive flexion, with an adjustable seat for comfort.
- Elliptical Training: Simulates running with a smooth, gliding motion that reduces impact and stress on the hip joints.
- Walking on Level Surfaces: A low-impact, joint-friendly activity that improves cardiovascular health without straining the hip, especially when avoiding hills.
- Rowing Machine: Engages multiple muscles in a low-impact way, focusing on smooth, controlled movements to avoid hip pain or strain.
Unsafe Cardio Exercises
- Running or Jogging: High-impact activity that stresses the hip joint, with repetitive pounding that can worsen pain and aggravate the tear.
- High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Involves intense movements like jumping and sprinting, which can destabilize the hip and increase injury risk.
- Sports with Pivoting or Twisting Movements: Sports like basketball, soccer, and tennis involve quick directional changes that strain the hip labrum.
- Aerobic Dance Classes: May include high-impact steps and jumps, along with rotational movements, putting undue stress on the hip joint.
- Stair Climbing Machines: Requires deep hip flexion, with repetitive climbing motions that can overload and irritate the labrum.
Here’s an illustration to help guide you on which cardio exercises are safe for you to do.
Hip Labral Tear Exercises
One effective treatment you can do for a hip labral tear is cardio exercise, which focuses on pain relief, retraining your body to move more efficiently, and strengthening the muscles around the hip. Here are some useful exercises for managing a hip labral tear:
1. Clamshells
- Lie on your side on the floor with your knees bent, maintaining good alignment in your upper body.
- Bend your bottom arm and rest your head on it.
- Keeping your feet together, slowly raise your top knee to open your hips.
- Lower your knee to the starting position and repeat the movement.
- After 5 repetitions, repeat the movement on the opposite side.
2. Bridge
- Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, relaxing your upper body.
- Place your arms on your sides and contract your abdominal area, then push from your heels to lift your hips, squeezing your glutes at the end position.
- Lower your hips to return to the starting position and repeat the movement.
- Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions.
3. Lateral Band Walk
For this exercise, utilize a mini band for added resistance.
- Begin in an upright standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs.
- Wrap the mini band around your legs, just above your ankles, and hold your hands together at chest height.
- Engage your core, bend your knees, and hinge from your hips to move into an athletic position.
- Take a big step to the side with one leg, following with your opposite leg.
- Repeat the movement on the opposite side.
- Perform the movement for 3 sets of 15 repetitions on each side.
4. Hip Flexor Stretch
For this exercise, you can bring one hand against the wall for support if needed.
- Begin in an upright standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs.
- Take a big step forward with one leg and place your hands on your hips while keeping your toes pointing straight ahead.
- Bend your front knee and straighten your back leg.
- Tighten your abdominal area and shift your hips forward.
- Hold this position for 20 seconds.
- Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.
Conclusion
Recovering from a labral tear can take time, with most athletes returning to sports within 2 to 6 months. However, early diagnosis and management are key to a smoother recovery. If you suspect a labral tear, seeking medical attention promptly is crucial, as delaying treatment could worsen the injury.
While small tears can often be managed with conservative treatments, larger tears may require surgery. Because the symptoms of a torn labrum can mimic other hip injuries, it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis through imaging tests like an MRI or MRA. Early detection allows for quicker treatment [3], helping you get back to your active lifestyle sooner.
Over the past few years, Resistance Bands have become an increasingly popular tool for stabilizing and strengthening your muscles in a safe, controlled way. So check out Resistance Band 101 now!
