Outer hip pain exercises at home
Settle outer hip pain and strengthen the glutes that support your pelvis.
Welcome to your hip program. We will settle your outer hip first, then strengthen the glute muscles.
Check with your physiotherapist or doctor before starting. Show them this program; in the app you'll confirm they've said it's OK for you before your first session. Exercise education, not medical advice. This is general guidance for common, non-serious hip pain, not a diagnosis or a substitute for a physiotherapist or doctor. Stop if pain is sharp or getting worse, and check the warning signs below before you start. Do the exercises on your sore side unless told otherwise.
The program: 3 phases
Avoid crossing your legs and standing with your weight on one hip. Aim for pain of three out of ten or less.
Phase 1: Settle
Calm the tendon with gentle holds · Daily- Standing hip press-out5 × 30s hold
Stand side-on to a wall with your sore side away from the wall, and bend the knee nearest the wall slightly so it touches the wall.
Press the outside of that knee gently into the wall. Hold still.
Tip: Stand tall. The working muscle is in the standing hip.
You'll need: wall
- Glute bridge2 × 10 reps
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat, hip-width apart.
Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips until your body is in a line from shoulders to knees. Lower slowly.
Tip: Push through your heels. Squeeze at the top for a moment.
You'll need: mat
- Sit to stand2 × 8 reps
Sit near the front of a sturdy chair with your feet hip-width apart.
Lean forward slightly and stand up, then slowly sit back down.
Tip: Take three seconds to sit down. Use your hands only if you need to.
You'll need: chair
Phase 2: Load
Strengthen the glutes · Every other day- Glute bridge3 × 12 reps
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat, hip-width apart.
Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips until your body is in a line from shoulders to knees. Lower slowly.
Tip: Push through your heels. Squeeze at the top for a moment.
You'll need: mat
- Side-lying leg raise3 × 10 reps
Lie on your good side with your bottom knee bent and your top leg straight.
Lift the top leg slightly back and up, then lower slowly.
Tip: Keep your toes pointing forward, not up to the ceiling.
You'll need: mat
- Sit to stand3 × 10 reps
Sit near the front of a sturdy chair with your feet hip-width apart.
Lean forward slightly and stand up, then slowly sit back down.
Tip: Take three seconds to sit down. Use your hands only if you need to.
You'll need: chair
- Hip flexor stretch2 × 30s hold
Kneel on a cushion with one knee down and the other foot forward.
Tuck your tailbone under and shift gently forward until you feel a stretch at the front of the hip. Hold.
Tip: Stay tall through your chest.
You'll need: cushion
Phase 3: Strengthen and return
Strength for walking, stairs and sport · Every other day- Step-ups3 × 10 reps
Stand facing a low, stable step.
Step up with one foot, bring the other up, then step down slowly. Lead with the working leg.
Tip: Keep your knee in line with your second toe.
You'll need: a low step
- Side-lying leg raise3 × 12 reps
Lie on your good side with your bottom knee bent and your top leg straight.
Lift the top leg slightly back and up, then lower slowly.
Tip: Keep your toes pointing forward, not up to the ceiling.
You'll need: mat
- Glute bridge3 × 15 reps
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat, hip-width apart.
Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips until your body is in a line from shoulders to knees. Lower slowly.
Tip: Push through your heels. Squeeze at the top for a moment.
You'll need: mat
- Single-leg balance3 × 30s hold
Stand next to a counter for support.
Lift one foot and balance on the other leg. Hold.
Tip: Keep a slight bend in the standing knee and look at a fixed point.
You'll need: counter for support
Nice work. Remember: no crossed legs, and sleep with a pillow between your knees.
Warning signs: get checked first
Don't start, or stop, and see a health professional if you answer yes to any of these. Red items need urgent care.
- Are you unable to put weight on the leg?
- Did this start after a fall onto the hip?
- Is the hip hot and swollen, with fever?
- Do you get chest pain, pressure or tightness with activity or at rest?
- Have you fainted, or had dizziness that made you lose balance, in the last 6 months?
- Do you have high blood pressure that is not under control?
- Have you had surgery in the last 12 weeks?
- Are you under 16 years old?
Do it with Apex One
Check with your physiotherapist or doctor before starting. Apex One+ then turns this program into guided sessions: a quick safety check, your confirmation that they've OK'd the program, a pain rating before and after, every exercise talked through out loud, and holds timed for you. Reps are counted out loud at a steady pace; the camera isn't used in rehab sessions. When your hip is coping, you move up a phase.
Questions
How often should I do outer hip pain exercises?
In this program, phase 1 (settle) is daily; later phases are every other day. Little and often works best, and rest days let the hip adapt.
Should outer hip exercises hurt?
Avoid crossing your legs and standing with your weight on one hip. Aim for pain of three out of ten or less.
When should I move to the next phase?
Move up when the current phase feels comfortable, pain stays low during and after sessions, and your hip settles by the next day. If pain flares, drop back a phase for a few sessions.
When should I see a physiotherapist or doctor?
Get assessed before starting if any warning sign below applies, if the pain followed a fall or injury, or if it is severe, getting worse, or not improving after a few weeks of regular exercise. Seek urgent care for symptoms like: is the hip hot and swollen, with fever.
Can an app guide my rehab exercises?
Yes, once your physiotherapist or doctor has said the program is OK for you. Apex One+ walks you through this program out loud with timed holds and pain checks before and after every session. It's exercise education, not a diagnosis.