We often see hip pain patients coming into our chiropractic clinic here in Lacey WA. While we generally see mostly back pain patients, we are seeing a growing number of patients coming in with issues relating to their hips. Once we adjust them, we normally advise some at home activity such as exercising it to enable it to remain in good, functional shape. So I have decided to compile some of the more popular hip exercise suggestions I normally give my patients. Check them out and see how they can help you.
We’ll split the exercises into two sections, one for the Tonic muscles and one for the Phasic muscles.
Tonic Muscles
This muscle group helps to keep our posture in the upright position. As you can imagine, they are working a great deal as they adjust to how we move. Therefore, they tend to become tight and short. When we have slept, they become more contracted and tighter, which is a cause of pain first thing when waking up. Exercising and gently stretching these can really help their function.
The primary muscles that can be well exercised in this group are the hamstrings and the iliosoas muscles (also known as the hip flexors).
Let’s start with a hamstring stretch…
- Find a doorway, lay on your back and have your right leg flat going our of the door. Your left leg should be placed on the door jam.
- Push this left leg into the door jam and hold for a few seconds. Then shuffle up closer to the jam and then hold the position for a couple of minutes.
- Switch legs over and do the same for the other leg.
- You can do this a few times a day to really help your hamstrings stretch.
Iliopsoas stretch
- Stand upright and then move the left leg forward into a kind of straddle position.
- Rotate the left side so that it becomes square with where the right side was.
- Flatten the curve of your lower spine and rock your pelvis forward and create a strong stretch at the front of the hip.
- Next, lean back and to the right and increase this stretch.
- Hold for 10 seconds.
- Repeat on the other side.
Phasic Muscles
In comparison to the tonic muscles, these tend to be weaker because they only work when needed. Buttock muscles and abdominal muscles are a great example of phasic muscles.
Buttock
- Simple exercise of squeezing your buttocks side to side throughout the day. You can be sitting or standing to do this.
- Lay on your back with your legs bent and feet flat to the ground. Then lift your butt so it is off the ground and hold for several seconds. Repeat ten times.
Abdomen
- Lay on the floor with your hands flat under your lower back.
- Keep one leg straight, and the other bent.
- Lift your breast bone up a couple of inches and hold for ten seconds.
- Repeat until these muscles feel tired.
If you are still struggling with hip pain, then let us check it out for you. We will be able to examine you and provide advice for the best course of action. Furthermore, we can provide other exercises if these ones haven’t helped you too much. Remember, we are walk in friendly, but if you want to make an appointment, you can schedule online or give our office a call on 360 951 4504.
Dr. David Warwick, DC, is a board-certified chiropractor with over two decades of experience helping people find fast, effective relief from back and neck pain. He is the only chiropractor in Lacey, WA certified in the Zone Technique — a specialized healing method that restores balance to the body’s six systems for long-term wellness.
At Warwick Chiropractic & Massage, Dr. Warwick focuses on short-term, results-driven care, helping patients return to life without unnecessary long-term treatment plans. His clinic welcomes walk-ins and offers convenient online scheduling for modern, flexible chiropractic care.
Dr. Warwick is committed to educating his patients and the public about natural pain relief, spinal health, and how chiropractic care can be both simple and life-changing.
