PILATES
PILATES FOR HIPS BY AMY MOFFAT
Our hip joints are one of the largest weight bearing joints in the body, where our thigh bones (femurs) meet the pelvis to form a ball and socket joint. The ball and socket mechanism means the hips enjoy a big range of motion, which is great for function but it can cause problems from an injury standpoint, and because the hip joint is essentially where our lower body meets the upper body, a lot of force transfers through the joint.
Common causes of hip pain include arthritis, with approximately 1 in 9 adults in England over the age of 45, with osteoarthritis of the hip joint. As we age, our bones can become weak and more brittle and hip fractures can occur with falls, the vast majority of hip fractures are caused by falls.
Bursitis is a common hip pain pathology, when the bursae (sacs of liquid found between tissues) become inflamed and can cause pain. This usually occurs when we do lots of activity and overwork or irritate the joint, as with tendinitis, also due to inflammation, in this case of the tendons.
Total Hip Replacement, or arthroplasty, is a surgical procedure to replace the hip joint with an artificial joint. It is usually offered to those who have been experiencing severe hip pain and stiffness that interferes with quality of life, which can be caused by arthritis, avascular necrosis or a fracture, usually in those over 60 years. Hip replacements are designed to restore range of movement and decrease pain, and allow for ease in functional movement. People will get the greatest outcome when both pre and post-op exercises are undertaken as it’s important to stay active and mobile in preparation for the procedure, as well as in recovery.
For all of the above, Pilates offers a safe, supportive and broad range of exercises to help people recover from hip pathologies and prepare for, and recover from, hip operations. The Reformer is an especially great option when trying to stay active while you wait for an operation or are on the journey to recovery from injury, as it allows for mobility in an assisted environment due to its spring and pulley system.
The foot straps on the Reformer allow for a gradual exploration of the range of movement through the hip joint in a very weightless and fluid way, reducing weight, force and impact through the joint. In this supported place, the body is encouraged into a safe exploration in all planes of movement through the joint itself, in external and internal rotation, and in hip flexion and extension, abduction and adduction.
The Reformer also offers great tools to build stability around the joint by assisting us through gradual methods of building strength, which means you can get back to day-to-day activities sooner rather than later.
For any hip pathology, whether dealing with an injury, inflammation, chronic pain patterns, or preparing for or recovering from surgery, Pilates offers the tools to keep our hips moving, mobile, balanced and strong, and is a great way to build confidence and safely guide yourself back towards pain-free functional movement again.