Healthy hip joints are a luxury in old age. Through every stage of life, your hips support most of your weight when you stand, walk, and run. The more you use them, the more they wear-and-tear.
Aging hips are prone to injuries, which can be painful and very slow to heal. In the most severe cases, joint replacement is necessary. Yet, you can take plenty of preventive actions to ensure your hips stay strong and in good shape.
At Elation Physical Therapy in Houston, Pearland, and Katy, Texas, our team of Doctors of Physical Therapy are committed to supporting your joint health throughout life. In this blog, we offer five habits to support healthy hip joints now and in the future.
Stretching your hips daily helps prevent tight hip flexors, which can affect your flexibility and cause back pain. Around a quarter of adults in the United States spend more than eight hours a day sitting down, which can cause tight hip flexors. Stretching your hips every day can help offset the tightness caused by so much sitting.
In addition to stretching your hips in the mornings and evenings, we recommend periodically standing up to walk around during your workday to keep your hips functioning well.
You’ve probably heard healthcare professionals talking about the importance of managing your weight in several contexts, and joint health is a big one. If you’re overweight or obese, your hips are under more stress than they would be at a healthy weight. This leaves them vulnerable to damage and pain.
You can take steps to manage your weight, such as:
Weight management can also help prevent Type 2 diabetes, which can cause further damage to your joints. High blood sugar from diabetes can cause hip inflammation and weaken the joints’ cartilage.
Speaking of a balanced diet, getting the right nutrients supports hip health. Many vital nutrients help your joints function optimally. For example, vitamin C supports healthy cartilage. The cartilage in your hips allows the joints to move fluidly.
Anti-inflammatory foods can also positively impact hip health. To support strong hips, consider adding these foods to your diet:
These foods are rich in antioxidants to reduce pain and swelling in your hip joints.
Regular exercise supports hip health and overall balance to prevent injuries. It also helps you manage your weight.
Low-impact exercises like cycling and swimming can help you exercise your hips even if you experience hip pain. In fact, they may help alleviate existing hip pain.
You might also consider personalized physical therapy at Elation Physical Therapy for exercises to reduce pain, improve healing, and promote hip flexibility and strength.
Smoking and hip health may seem unrelated, but the habit is hard on your joints. Smoking impacts bone density by reducing calcium absorption and depriving your bones of an adequate blood supply.
When you stop smoking, you lower your risk for hip fractures. You can also lower your risk for hip fractures by removing hazards from your home, like throw rugs or cords you might trip on.
Our expert physical therapists are ready to teach you about hip health and how to maintain it. Call Elation Physical Therapy or request an appointment online today.
