Best Hip Bursitis Exercises and Other Tips on Managing the Condition

Best Hip Bursitis Exercises

Struggling with the nagging pain of hip bursitis during menopause is a relentless battle. This condition is bad enough as is but is often intensified during these transformative years. 

It can limit your mobility and dim the joy of your daily activities. But there's a path to relief. We’ll unveil the best hip bursitis exercises to ease your discomfort and help you get back to living your life without limits.

Alongside the best exercises for hip bursitis, we’ll share other tips for rapid relief including Provitalize. This natural solution complements your journey towards reclaiming comfort and mobility, helping you not just feel better but look better too!

A Brief Overview of Hip Bursitis

Before we get into the best hip exercises for bursitis let’s provide a bit of context on the condition you’re dealing with. This is simply inflammation of the hip bursae, small fluid-filled sacs that cushion the bones, tendons, and muscles near your joints.

This inflammation leads to aches and discomfort around the hip area. The condition can present itself in the form of dull aches or a sharp, burning sensation that radiates and intensifies with movement or pressure.

The Anatomy of the Hip: Understanding Bursitis

To appreciate why hip bursitis is so debilitating, a basic understanding of hip anatomy is essential. Your hip is a ball-and-socket joint, designed for both stability and a wide range of movement, making it integral to most daily activities. 

The bursae in this area serve as critical shock absorbers, reducing friction and allowing smooth, pain-free motion. Every step can become a painful reminder of the condition when the bursae are inflamed, limiting mobility and affecting your quality of life.

How Menopause Affects Joint Health

Menopause brings about a cascade of changes in a woman's body, and joint health is no exception. While rapid aging after menopause, menopause night sweats, or menopause weight gain are considered hallmark menopause symptoms, menopause hip pain is perhaps the most debilitating. 

Decreased estrogen levels during menopause can affect your inflammatory response and contribute to joint pain. This hormonal shift can exacerbate existing conditions like osteoarthritis and, yes, hip bursitis. 

Furthermore, menopause often coincides with a stage in life where previous injuries and wear and tear begin to manifest more prominently. 

This combination can make women more susceptible to joint issues, including the painful symptoms of hip bursitis. But, can hip bursitis exercises be the answer?

How Can Bursitis Hip Exercises Help Manage Pain and Immobility?

Engaging in the best exercises for hip bursitis can be a game changer in managing both aches and immobility. Stronger muscles mean better support for the joint, less strain on the bursae, and, consequently, reduced aches and pains. 

Improving flexibility is key to managing the condition, too. Stretching exercises help maintain and improve the range of motion in your hip joint. 

This increased flexibility can prevent the stiffness often associated with hip bursitis. Remember, a flexible hip joint is less likely to irritate the bursae, which in turn can help manage pain.

Moreover, these bursitis hip exercises enhance overall joint stability. Stability is crucial in preventing falls and injuries, especially as you navigate the changes brought on by menopause.

While these exercises are instrumental in managing hip bursitis, they are part of a broader approach to joint health during menopause. 

That’s why we’ll also discuss complementing exercise with natural perimenopause supplements or menopause supplements like Provitalize. But let’s get into what you came here for - to discover the best exercises for hip bursitis!

What are the Best Hip Bursitis Exercises?

We’re going to break down the best hip bursitis exercises into three distinct categories: strengthening, stretching, and balancing. You can address this condition from all angles by incorporating bursitis hip exercises from each grouping.

We’ll even talk about forming a holistic, cohesive exercise regimen with movements, intensity, and frequency considerations to help you set off on the right foot!

Gentle Strengthening Exercises

Strengthening exercises are crucial for building the muscles around the hip joint, offering better support and reducing the load on the inflamed bursae. Stronger muscles can mitigate the risk of further irritation. Here are some of the best strengthening exercises for bursitis of the hip:

  • Hip Bridges: Lie on your back with legs hip-width apart and knees bent. Press feet into the floor, lifting hips upward until your torso aligns erectly. Hold and squeeze your glutes. You can progress the movement to a single-leg hip bridge, or consider adding weight to your hip bridges. 
  • Standing Hip Abduction: Stand straight and hold onto a stable surface for balance. Lift one leg out to the side, keeping your pelvis stable and your leg straight. Lift it as far as comfortable without shifting your body weight. Lower the leg back down slowly. This exercise strengthens the muscles on the side of your hips and improves stability.
  • Seated Leg Extensions: Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the ground. Extend one leg out in front of you as straight as possible, then flex your foot to point your toes upward. Hold for a few seconds and then lower the leg back to the starting position. This exercise helps to strengthen the quadriceps, which support the hip joint

Flexibility and Stretching Routines

Stretching exercises improve flexibility and the range of motion in the hip joint. They help in loosening tight muscles and tendons around the hip, reducing pressure on the bursae, and alleviating pain. These are some of our favorite bursitis hip exercises for flexibility:

  • Hip External Rotator Stretch: Lie on your back, place the ankle of the affected leg on the opposite thigh, and gently pull the knee across your body toward your shoulder.
  • Hip Rotator Stretch: The exact opposite of what you just did. Lie down, place the affected leg's foot on the opposite thigh, and use your elbow to gently push the knee away.
  • Figure 4 Stretch: Can be done standing, sitting, or lying down, providing a gentle stretch to the iliotibial band and external rotators.

Balancing and Stability Workouts

Balancing and stability exercises for hip bursitis are essential for enhancing coordination and preventing falls, which can exacerbate the condition. These exercises also help in evenly distributing weight and stress across the hip joint:

  • Lateral Straight Leg Raises: Lie on your side, lift the top leg straight up, and hold, targeting the abductor muscles.
  • Cable Hip Abduction and Adduction: Use a cable machine to perform these exercises, targeting thigh muscles moving away from and across the body.
  • Clamshells: Lie on your side with knees bent, lift the top knee while keeping your feet together, stretching the hip abductors.

Tips on Forming an Effective Workout Routine

As we said earlier, you need a mix of these movements to reap the full benefits of hip bursitis exercises. You can choose to undertake different workouts throughout the week focusing on either strengthening, flexibility, or stability - or you can group exercises from each category into every workout. 

Beyond exercise selection, though, you need to be consistent in your exercise frequency. Intensity and volume matter as well. You can aim for 2-3 workouts a week, 2-4 exercises per workout, and 3 sets of 10 reps per movement to keep things simple. This can adjusted as you see fit based on your own goals.

Start with just body weight to master the technique. Then, you can slowly apply the principles of progressive overload (adding marginal weight each subsequent workout, adding more reps, sets, etc. - the goal is to make things harder on yourself to continue challenging your body).

Remember that your body’s response should guide you along this journey. If any exercise causes pain or discomfort, it should be stopped immediately. 

It may be worth looking into professional guidance in the form of physical therapy if you don’t feel a difference within a few weeks. But, you should feel confident getting started with this advice on bursitis hip exercises. 

Let’s look at the other side of the coin now - what exercises should you NOT do with hip bursitis?

What Exercises Should You Not Do With Hip Bursitis?

Knowing what to avoid in treating hip bursitis is just as important as implementing the best exercises for hip bursitis. Certain activities can exacerbate your symptoms, causing more pain and potentially prolonging recovery. 

Running and High-Impact Activities

Running, jumping, and jogging are high-impact activities that put tremendous pressure on the hip joints. These repetitive movements can aggravate the inflamed bursae, worsening the pain and swelling associated with hip bursitis.

Opt for lower-impact exercises like walking or aqua jogging. These activities allow you to maintain cardiovascular fitness without putting excessive strain on your hips.

Cycling

Cycling is considered a great low-impact exercise, especially for treating knee problems. But, the forward-bent position while cycling, whether on a stationary or traditional bike, places significant pressure on the hip joint. This repetitive motion can intensify pain in the affected area.

If you enjoy biking, consider using a recumbent bike, which allows you to sit in a more hip-friendly position and still enjoy the benefits of cycling.

Cardio Exercise Machines

Equipment like stair climbers, treadmills, and ellipticals involve repetitive hip flexion in a weight-bearing position. This continuous movement aggravates the inflamed bursa, preventing healing and leading to overuse injuries.

Try low-impact cardiovascular workouts such as seated exercises or floor mat core workouts to get your heart rate up without straining your hips.

Weight-Bearing Exercises

Exercises that involve standing and putting pressure on the spine and lower body can be problematic too. Prolonged standing or single-leg stances can shift excessive weight onto the sore hip, worsening the symptoms.

Focus on mat-based exercises or aquatic exercises, which provide support and alleviate pressure on the hips. You can progress to weight-bearing exercises as you gain strength and stability.

More Tips on Managing the Condition Beyond Hip Bursitis Exercises

Managing hip bursitis extends beyond just exercises. It involves a holistic approach that includes diet, supplements, and more. Each of these components plays a crucial role in alleviating symptoms and promoting recovery.

Importance of Diet and Supplements

Just as a specially formulated menopause belly fat diet plan can help you lose weight during menopause, a well-balanced diet can support a healthier inflammatory response while strengthening the hip area.

Include pineapple, papaya, dark greens, bananas, fish, eggs, and grass-fed meats in your diet. These foods are rich in agents like bromelain, papain, and omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce aches and pain associated with hip bursitis.

Opt for grains like barley, oatmeal, quinoa, and bulgur. Whey protein has also been identified as food that supports a healthy inflammatory response while growing lean muscle.

You should avoid certain foods, too. Stay away from legumes, simple carbohydrates, and added sugars, which can create an imbalance in the body and aggravate bursitis symptoms.

Ensure your diet includes vitamins B, C, E, and magnesium, which can help repair cell damage and reduce inflammation. These can be found in foods like broccoli, spinach, bananas, and dark leafy greens.

Stress Management Techniques for Pain Relief

Practices like meditation, deep breathing, and yoga can help manage stress, which in turn can reduce the inflammation and pain associated with hip bursitis. These techniques promote relaxation and improve overall well-being.

Lifestyle Modifications for Joint Health

A few simple lifestyle adjustments can go a long way. If you sit all day, try investing in a desk riser or standing desk to take some stress off your hips and lower back. 

You should also consider your sleeping position, as side sleepers tend to deal with hip aches more often than those who sleep on their back. Take the pressure off the joints by using pillows strategically, either under or between the legs. Getting ample rest will help your body recover as well. Aim for at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night. 

You should also look to take some of the weight off your hips if you’re struggling with perimenopause weight gain or menopause belly fat. We have tips on how to stop menopause weight gain, natural remedies for menopause weight gain, meno belly, and more. 

Heat and Cold Therapy

Balancing heat and cold therapy can relieve aches in the hips as well. Apply ice or cold packs for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, as often as twice an hour, for the first 72 hours after noticing pain. This helps numb the pain.

After the first 72 hours, use heat to increase blood flow and reduce muscle spasms. A heating pad or hot water bottle can be applied to the hip for 15-20 minutes before bed to ease pain and help you get a good night’s rest.

Provitalize Probiotics: Addressing Aches From a Holistic Point of View

Before we wrap up our list of the best exercises for hip bursitis, we want to introduce you to a supplement that won’t just address menopause joint pain but other challenges of menopause too: Provitalize.

Provitalize contains natural probiotic strains and herbs that are known for their balancing properties. These Provitalize ingredients can be particularly beneficial in managing hip pain, which is a common issue during menopause. 

The supplement also addresses other menopausal challenges like hot flashes, mood swings, and weight management, making it a comprehensive solution for overall well-being during this phase of life. 

It’s the best probiotics for belly fat, leg aches in menopause, menopause anxiety relief, and more. It’s helped millions of women live happier, more comfortable lives in their 40s and beyond and it can do the same for you. The best part? There are no Provitalize side effects - Provitalize is safe to take!

You can explore our blog to learn more about the benefits of Provitalize across the 3 stages of menopause, where to buy Provitalize, does Provitalize work, and more. Otherwise, feel the difference yourself by ordering your first bottle today here at Better Body!

Wrapping Up Our List of the Best Exercises for Hip Bursitis

We hope this list of the best hip bursitis exercises empowers you to overcome this condition and get back to living your life without limits. We've explored gentle strengthening movements, stretching routines, and balancing workouts, all aimed at reducing pain and improving mobility. 

These exercises offer a path to managing the discomfort of hip bursitis when performed regularly and correctly, enhancing your overall quality of life during menopause. 

Our blog has more resources to help you conquer menopause with confidence and grace. Learn about the best probiotics for menopause weight gain, how long does menopause weight gain last, can probiotics cause weight gain, lactobacillus gasseri benefits, menopause belly fat supplements, menopause without HRT, hot flash treatment natural remedies, and more.

Otherwise, it’s time to put hip bursitis in the past with these exercises and the best probiotic for menopause. See what a difference Provitalize can make in your health and happiness today!