When Walking Hurts–5 Exercises to Strengthen Your Hip Muscles

Pain makes walking difficult if not impossible and can severely reduce your quality of life. These exercises and stretches can help make your hips feel better.

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I’ve been negotiating with “Ruth,” one of my patients, largely unsuccessfully, for the last several weeks. She’s been refusing my efforts to get her to come to therapy sessions. It’s not just a me thing—she’s done the same thing to all of the other therapists, too. The reason for her steadfast refusals has been consistent: Her hips hurt when she gets up and walks, and she’d rather stay in bed than hurt.

Many adults—young and old, active or sedentary—experience hip pain. Weakness in the muscles around your hips can lead to alignment issues that can cause pain and can just plain hurt in general.