Fix This Silent Hip Problem Before It Destroys Your Knees

Over-50s specialist physio Will Harlow explains:

When your hips don’t ply…

Poor hip rotation can damage the knees. This is because if hips can’t rotate, the knee may be forced to rotate, increasing the risk of ligament and meniscus injuries, neither of which are fun. Dynamic valgus (the knee falling inward during movement) is another common issue also linked to poor hip rotation.

As to why it happens in the first place: poor hip rotation can come from arthritis, but mostly it just comes from disuse. To fix this, you can improve both mobility and strength in the hip rotators through exercises such as…

• Hip windshield wipers: sit with your back supported and your knees bent at about 90°. Let your legs fall from side to side like windshield wipers, allowing one leg to go into external rotation and the other into internal rotation. Perform 20–30 reps, ideally over 1–2 minutes, and repeat a few times throughout the day.
• Seated external & internal rotation: sit comfortably in a chair and lift one leg at a time. Rotate the leg outward (external rotation) and then inward (internal rotation). Even limited movement is beneficial. Aim for 30 reps in each direction on both legs, twice a day.
• Clam exercise: lie on your side with your knees and hips bent at 90°. For the basic version, lift the top knee while keeping your feet together. For the advanced version, lift the top knee, then also lift the foot for added rotation. Do 10–20 reps per side and complete 2–3 sets depending on difficulty.
• Single-leg bridge: lie on your back with your knees bent and perform a standard bridge by lifting your hips. While holding the bridge position, lift one leg without letting your pelvis drop to engage the opposite hip. Hold each leg for 3 seconds, do 5 reps total, and complete 3 sets with about a minute of rest between rounds.

For more on each of these plus visual demonstrations, enjoy:

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Want to learn more?

You might also like:

The Secret To Better Squats: Foot, Knee, & Ankle Mobility ← if you want to go beyond just hips-and-knees, for a full lower-body mobility routine

Take care!