Hip Exercises For The Young And Young-At-Heart

All right – here’s an exercise that just might be as much fun as the twist. How’s that for dating myself!

Like the twist, which was actually a great way to lose weight, this hip exercise also has some real long-lasting benefits. It will help you maintain the range of motion necessary for your reflexes to work so that you can catch yourself in the event of a potential fall. It just might also help you avoid hip implants later in life.

It’s often believed that it’s our age that results in restricted range of motion but that’s not correct! No — in most cases we are voluntarily but unwittingly giving it up.

For example, if you had a hip injury five or even 10 years ago, you may begin to walk more carefully — possibly subconsciously — in order to avoid aggravating it. But walking carefully actually limits your range of motion. I have patients in their 30s and 40s who have lost range of motion and don’t even know it.

As we age, people think “Oh, I can’t move as freely just because I’m getting older.” That statement — it’s normal for your age — is terrible! It’s not correct. Restricted range of motion is common — which simply means that many people have it — but it’s not normal. It’s not age that causes the problem — it’s neglect.

So I’d like to demonstrate an exercise here that will help in two ways. First, it will help you increase hip range of motion that you may have lost. And second, it will help you avoid losing it in the first place.

I’ll demonstrate the exercise both for people who have good balance and can do it freestanding, and also for people who may want to use a table or counter to brace themselves. Now — have fun!