HOW TO DO HIP ABDUCTION EXERCISES

Flexibility and strength training are good for the abductor muscles

Medically reviewed by Laura Campedelli, PT, DPT

Hip abduction is the action that moves your thighs straight out to the side, like during the first half of a jumping jack. This movement is primarily performed by the gluteus medius muscle—one of three muscles commonly called the glutes. Hip abduction exercises strengthen abduction movements and improve pelvic stability, particularly when you're standing on one leg.

This article discusses hip abduction exercises, how to do them, what they're good for, and what happens when your hip abductor muscles are weak.

Why Is Hip Abduction Good?

The hip abductors are responsible for stabilizing your pelvis and controlling leg movements. Hip abduction is essential for daily activities such as walking and getting into and out of your car, bed, and shower.

While these exercises won't make your hips "wider," they can give your backside a rounder appearance.

Possible Causes of Hip Pain

Hip pain is often categorized as orthopedic (related to muscles or bones) or non-orthopedic (related to something else) and is usually caused by one of the following:

  • Muscle strain
  • Ligament sprain
  • Contusion (bruise)
  • Bursitis (inflammation of the tissue that cushions your joints)
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Fractures

Hip Abduction Exercises

Exercises that target your hip abductors can be performed in various positions. You can also use a machine in the gym designed specifically for hip abduction.

How to Use a Hip Abduction Machine

Whether you're exercising your hip abductors for fitness or rehabilitation, you may consider using a hip abduction machine. Here's how to do it safely:

  1. Sit in an upright position on the abductor machine.
  2. Hold the handles to stabilize your trunk and maintain an upright position.
  3. Slowly press your hips outward as far as you can without pain, then return to the starting position.

Side-Lying Hip Abduction

Keep your toes pointed forward throughout the exercise to ensure you target the correct muscles when performing side-lying hip abduction. Perform as follows:

  1. Lie on your left side with your legs stacked on each other.
  2. Place a pillow under your head, or support it with your left hand.
  3. Place your right hand on the ground in front of you, or rest it on your top hip.
  4. Keeping your toes pointed forward and knee straight, lift your top leg toward the ceiling.
  5. Hold for two to three seconds, then lower back down.
  6. Perform 10 repetitions, then repeat on the opposite leg.

Make this exercise more challenging by adding a cuff weight (between 3 and 5 pounds) to your ankle.

Clamshells

Clamshells target the hip abductors on the leg that are positioned on top. Perform as follows:

  1. Lie on your left side with your legs stacked on each other, then bend both knees.
  2. Support your head with your left hand and rest your right hand on your right hip.
  3. Keeping your heels in contact with each other, lift your right knee toward the ceiling.
  4. Hold for two to three seconds, then lower your knee back down.
  5. Perform 10 repetitions, then repeat on the opposite side.

If your hips start to rotate backward during this exercise, decrease the height that you lift your top leg.

Standing Hip Abduction

Standing hip abduction works muscles on both sides of the body simultaneously—open chain hip abduction on the leg that is moving and closed chain hip abduction on the leg you are standing on. Perform as follows:

  1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart with your hands resting on your hips.
  2. Keeping your toes pointed forward and knee straight, lift your right leg to the side. Keep your body still. (If you start to lean to the opposite side, you're raising your leg too high.)
  3. Hold for two to three seconds, then return to the starting position.
  4. Perform 10 repetitions, then repeat on the opposite side.

Make this exercise more challenging by adding ankle cuff weights or wrapping an elastic resistance band around your lower legs.

Banded Bridges

Start with a thinner resistance band and work your way up to thicker ones to increase tension when you can perform it with the proper technique. Too much resistance shifts the pressure on your spine, leading to back pain. Perform as follows:

  1. Sit on the ground and place a circular elastic resistance band around your legs above your knees.
  2. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
  3. Push your knees apart to place tension on the resistance band.
  4. Keeping your knees pushed apart, squeeze your buttocks and lift your hips off the ground. Keep your shoulder blades in contact with the ground.
  5. Hold for two to three seconds, then lower your hips back down.

Monster Walks

Make monster walk exercises harder as your strength improves by placing the resistance band around your ankles. Perform as follows:

  1. Place a circular resistance band around your thighs, just above your knees.
  2. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent in a mini-squat position.
  3. Push your knees apart to place tension on the band.
  4. While maintaining tension on the band, take ten side steps to the right. Keep your toes pointed forward throughout the exercise.
  5. Take 10 side steps to the left.

You can do monster walks, walking forward or backward.

Banded Squats

Before trying banded squats, make sure you can squat without resistance, using the proper technique. Perform as follows:

  1. Place a circular resistance band around your thighs, just above your knees.
  2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  3. Push your knees apart to place tension on the band.
  4. Hinge forward at your hips, pushing your buttocks back as if you are going to sit in a chair.
  5. Squat down as far as you can while keeping your chest up.
  6. Stand back up and repeat for 10 repetitions.

Hip Hiking

The hip hiking exercise targets the hip abductors of the leg you are standing on. Perform as follows:

  1. Stand sideways on the outer edge of a step with your left foot, with your right foot hovering over the ground.
  2. Drop your right hip down to lower your right foot below the edge of the step.
  3. Hike up (quickly raise) your right hip and hold for two to three seconds.
  4. Repeat 10 times, then switch sides.

Hold onto a sturdy surface, such as a handrail or the back of a chair, to assist with balance during this exercise.

Safety Risks During Exercise

Consult a healthcare provider before beginning a new exercise routine. If done incorrectly, some exercises can lead to injury or increased pain.

Related: Exercises to Keep Your Hips Strong and Mobile

How to Find Your Hip Abductor Muscles

The gluteus medius is the primary hip abductor muscle. It is located deep in your gluteus maximus—the main muscle that gives your buttocks their shape. You can feel the top of this muscle above the gluteus maximus. To find this muscle:

  1. Place your hands on your hips.
  2. Move your thumbs down one to two inches from the top of your pelvis.
  3. Press firmly into the soft tissue—this is your gluteus medius muscle.

The tensor fasciae latae (TFL) muscle is a small muscle on the outside of the hip that helps with several hip movements, including abduction. To find this muscle:

  1. Place your hands on your hips.
  2. Slide your fingertips down the outside of your thighs, about two inches below the top of your pelvis.
  3. This is your tensor fasciae latae muscle.

If you have difficulty finding your TFL, place your fingers on the outside of your right hip. Balance on your left foot and lift your right leg out to the side (abduction). You should feel the muscle tighten under your fingers.

Effects of Weak Hip Abductors

If you have weak hip abductors, your body may overcompensate by engaging surrounding muscles to overcome the weakness. This can lead to pain, weakness, or injuries in the pelvis, knees, and ankles and contribute to various symptoms and conditions, including the following:

Summary

Hip abduction is the action of moving your legs outward and to the side. Muscles that perform hip abduction—primarily gluteus medius—also help maintain pelvic stability. Strong hip abductors can help prevent other symptoms or conditions, such as low back pain, hip pain, and patellofemoral syndrome. Hip abduction exercises can be performed in a variety of positions.

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