I wanted to show you five hip-strengthening exercises for knee pain.
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Hip Strengthening Exercises
1. Single Leg Standing
Begin in a nice, upright standing position. Put your one hand on the beam or on the wall to eliminate balance so you can focus on strengthening the hip. Stand on one leg and slightly bend the knee. Bend the free leg backward and maintain good alignment with the head, shoulders and hips. When you bend the knee, you are working on strengthening the hips, which is what this exercise focuses on. Strong hips will help decrease knee pain.
Single Leg Standing
Start with one set of five reps on each side. Perform this exercise for a hold of 10 seconds. The intensity is light. You should feel it in the muscles around the knee. However, you will feel it mainly in the muscles around the hips. Looking at the five exercises, this exercise is probably the least intense. As we go through the other ones, you’ll feel the intensity of the exercises increase.
2. Single Leg Squatting
Begin in a nice, upright standing position. Stand on one foot and slightly bend the knee with your weight even on your foot. Bend the free leg backward, and then bend in the knee and the hip. Squat down for about 45 degrees to intensify the strengthening of the hip, then go back to start position and repeat the movement.
Single Leg Squatting
Start with one set of 5 reps on each side. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a quick stop at the end position. The intensity is light. This exercise targets the muscles around the hips and knees.
3. Single Leg Hip Hinging
Begin in a nice, upright standing position. Stand on one leg with your weight even on your foot. Slightly bend the knee. Extend your free leg backward, and then bend through the hips and let your upper body follow. Maintain a good alignment with the head, shoulder and hips. Go back to start position and contract the glutes the hamstrings. Repeat the movement.
Single Leg Hip Hinging
Start with one set of 5 reps on each side. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a good contraction at the top or on the way to the top at the end position. The intensity can be light to moderate. This exercise targets the glutes and secondarily targets the hamstrings.
4. Side Plank Position
Lie on your side to the floor and rest on your forearm. Tighten your abdominal area. Lift your hips off the floor and maintain a straight line from your front and side. This exercise targets the stabilization of the hips and the core abdominal area.
Side Plank Position
Start with one set of 5 reps on each side. Perform this exercise with a good hold at the end position for about 5 seconds. The intensity can be light to moderate.
5. Single Leg Bridge
Lie on your back to the floor and bend your knees. Relax the upper body. Tighten your abdominal area and then bridge up. Maintain good alignment with the hips, knees and shoulders. Straighten one leg out, hold it for a couple of seconds, and then bring it back down. Bring your backside down, then do the movement with the opposite side.
Single Leg Bridge
Start with one set of 3 to 5 reps on each side, alternating back and forth. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a good stop at the top position for a hold of about 3 to 5 seconds. The intensity can be light to moderate. You’ll feel it in your core area, glutes and hamstrings.
These are the five hip-strengthening exercises for knee pain. Give these exercises a go and see if your knees don’t feel a little better.
If you want to decrease or even eliminate hip and lower back pain permanently, then check out the Gluteus Medius Exercises program, here!
Take care!
Rick Kaselj, MS