Introduction to Hip Arthritis
Dealing with hip arthritis can feel like an uphill battle, leaving you stiff, frustrated, and questioning if this is your new normal. Enter Dr. Chris Garcia, a residency-trained Doctor of Physical Therapy with over 15 years of experience. He founded Sports Performance Physical Therapy with a clear mission: to provide active adults a clear, confident path forward, offering more than just temporary relief or advice to ‘just deal with it.’
Hip arthritis doesn’t mean your best days are behind you. It means your hip needs the right strategy.
Key Benefits of Exercising for Hip Arthritis
Why Exercise Matters
Exercise is a crucial component in managing hip arthritis. While it might seem counterintuitive, the right exercises can enhance mobility, reduce pain, and strengthen the muscles supporting the hip joint. This is not about intense workouts; rather, it’s about controlled, purposeful movements that support joint health.
Top 3 Exercises for Hip Arthritis
Incorporating these exercises into your routine can significantly improve your hip’s function and your overall quality of life.
1. 90/90 Hip Rotations
Sit on the floor with one leg bent in front of you at 90 degrees and the other behind you at 90 degrees. With your chest held high, gently rotate both knees to the opposite side, ideally without using your hands. Move slowly, staying within a comfortable range.
Why it helps: Hip arthritis often limits rotation. The 90/90 position gently restores internal and external rotation while keeping the joint supported.
Key rule: Don’t force the movement. Smooth and controlled is better than big and painful.
2. Clamshells
Lie on your side with knees bent and feet stacked. Keeping your feet together, lift your top knee without rolling your hips backward. Lower slowly.
Why it helps: Weak glute muscles force the hip joint to absorb more stress. Clamshells strengthen the lateral hip stabilizers, which help reduce irritation during walking and stairs.
Focus on quality, not speed. You should feel this in the side of your hip, not your lower back.
3. ‘Sassy Hip’ (Standing Lateral Hip Shifts)
Stand tall with feet hip-width apart. Shift your hips gently to one side while keeping shoulders level, almost like popping one hip out slightly. Return to center and repeat on the other side.
Why it helps: This movement improves lateral hip control and joint awareness. Many people with hip arthritis unconsciously avoid shifting weight fully onto the painful side. This drill retrains that pattern safely.
Keep it small and controlled. It should feel like reintroducing movement, not forcing it.
The Importance of a Structured Plan
These exercises aren’t aggressive or flashy, but done consistently, they help your hip move better and feel more supported.
Mobility alone isn’t the full solution. Hip arthritis isn’t just about cartilage. It’s about strength loss, joint irritation, and muscles that have stopped supporting the hip as they should.
Rest alone doesn’t fix that. Pushing through doesn’t fix that. Random exercises from YouTube don’t fix that. What works is a structured plan that reduces irritation, rebuilds strength, and restores confidence in your movement. That’s exactly what this class will teach.
Is This the Right Fit for You?
If you’ve experienced any of the following, this Hip Arthritis Class is designed for you:
- You feel stiff every morning and need time just to ‘warm up.’
- Getting out of the car, off the couch, or up the stairs feels harder than it should.
- You’ve been told it’s bone-on-bone and there’s nothing you can do except wait.
- You’re worried that if this keeps progressing, surgery may be your only option.
- You’re starting to avoid activities you used to enjoy because you don’t trust your hip.
- You’re frustrated, not because you’re weak, but because you want your life back.
Most people with hip arthritis aren’t looking for a miracle. They just want to move without thinking about it every second.
What to Expect From the Hip Arthritis Class
We’ll break down what’s happening inside your hip in simple language. We’ll explain why certain movements make it worse (and what to do instead). We’ll show you how to progress beyond mobility into real strength. We’ll help you understand when pain is a warning — and when it’s safe to move. We’ll give you a roadmap so you’re not guessing anymore.
Because the worst part of hip arthritis isn’t pain. It’s uncertainty. Not knowing if you’re making it worse. Wondering if it’s permanent. Feeling like your body is slowly shrinking your world.
You don’t have to stay there.
The Next Step Is Simple
Join us for the Hip Arthritis Class and gain clarity. You’ll understand your condition. You’ll learn what actually helps. You’ll leave with a plan. At Sports Performance, the goal isn’t just to reduce pain. It’s to help you feel like yourself again — strong, confident, and in control of your body.
If this is what we’re willing to give away for free, imagine the benefits of having the full plan. If you’re tired of guessing and ready for answers, this class is where you start.
As always, we hope this helps! For any questions and suggestions, please email us at TeamSP@SportsPerformancePT.com
If you want more information about how we can help, get started with a FREE discovery phone call.
If interested in Physical Therapy at Sports Performance…
If you would like to see more from us at Sports Performance… Watch our Podcast episode 141 about How to Improve your Long Term Health and Wellness…
Get in touch with us! Dr. Chris, Physical Therapist
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