Lay on your side, hips stacked on top of each other, and shoulders stacked on top of each other - do not lean forward or back, keep that bellybutton pulled in and pelvic floor nice and tight. You can rest the head in your hand as shown, or you can set the head right down. Bend the bottom leg slightly, keeping the top foot parallel to the floor, slowly lift up, do not roll the upper body or hips back. Keep the upper body still, and slowly lower.
Try to resist in both directions.
Modifications - adding in little pulses at the top, little circles at the top.
4 comments:
I've been trying to determine the cause of hip/knee pain on my right side (the result of a 50 mile hike I did with little training, although I do short course triathlons). My strength with this exercise is assymetrical - my left side is much stronger than my right, and it feels as if something is popping or settling in my right hip during exercise (but it is not painful). Is this an exercise to continue? Thanks.
Thanks for your question!!
First, have you seen your Dr. or Physio to determine the cause of the popping? Is it an overuse injury, is it due to lack of stretching, is it due to a biomechanical dysfunction? Or a combination?
It will be important to even both sides out, so that you are more symmetrical.
Are you stretching enough, or at all?
Is the pain in the front of the hip? Or along the side of the hip and side of knee?
Do you have any low back problems?
What do your daily activities consist of? Are you in an odd position for long periods of time?
Are you leading with the heel of the top foot? So, as you are on your side, with the bottom leg bent to provide a bit more stability, lift the top leg up, making sure that the hips are stacked on top of each other, and that the heel is up towards the ceiling, and the toes are pointing towards the floor.
Make sure as you lift the top leg, the hips do not roll back. Really limit your range of motion, so don't lift that top leg too high. As well, is the leg directly in line with the body, at a 45 degree angle from the hip? Try changing the angle of the leg a bit to see if that makes any difference.
I hope that this is helpful to you, but without actually having a Physio assessment to go from, it would not be appropriate to diagnose or advise you.
I would really suggest that you see a Physio and get your body mechanics back in check.
I haven't seen my physio yet - months ago I had worked through a hamstring problem with my physiologist when I lived in NC, but have since moved to TN and haven't had time! I have been stretching more than normal since the injury, trying to loosen things up (using a foam roller along both IT bands, hip/back/hamstring/quad stretching). As for the pain, it is focused largely on the side of the hip, radiating to the side of the knee.
I'm not really in odd positions during the day - lately I've been cycling to work (45 minutes each way) and doing circuit training at the gym (push ups, pull ups, dips, rear lunges), and I'm up and around a lot - I'm in the Army, so I wear body armor and a lot of kit when we're out and about.
I'll go check with my physio at work and see what they have to say. Thanks!
I hope that you get things worked out, and then for sure the exercise will be great for you!! It helps strengthen the gluteus medius which helps with some knee issues.
How did you find my blog? Thanks for stopping by and posting a message. Let me know how it goes with your Physio.
Thanks for being one of the brave souls that serve in the Army!! Even though I don't live in the US, I sure appreciate your dedication.
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