In the gilded world of aesthetic wellness, we obsess over the architecture of our cheekbones and the resilience of our gut microbiome day in and day out. But there’s a widely neglected crisis just below your waistline: your hips are likely ageing faster than the rest of you.
While we often associate hip issues with a distant future, the reality is that working a 9-to-5 and spending your days sitting on a chair is bringing the issue closer. According to research presented at the 2018 annual American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) meet, there has been a staggering 123% increase in hip replacements for patients aged 45 to 64 over the last decade. Modern hip health decline is less a byproduct of the passing years and more a tax on our stationary lives—making these early signals of stiffness an urgent health cue we can no longer afford to ignore.
So, what can we do to keep this crucial joint healthy? Practising hip mobility exercises can improve your range of motion, support better posture and protect the lower back. They also help strengthen the lower body, particularly the knees and ankles, while improving balance and reducing joint stiffness. Given how much time we spend sitting at desks or commuting, making hip mobility a regular part of our routine can go a long way in keeping the body moving comfortably.
Why is this joint, the literal axis of our movement, failing us so early? “The hips handle constant load and movement while sitting at the physical centre of the body,” explains Dr Lalit Panchal, senior consultant and orthopaedic surgeon, SL Raheja Hospital, Mumbai – A Fortis Associate. Whether you’re at your desk, in your car or curled up with Netflix, your hips are shortened and tight. “Modern lifestyles keep hips in flexion, limiting mobility and accelerating decline,” he adds.
The warning signs
You don’t wake up one morning with a bad hip. The decline is a slow burn, creeping up before finally giving way. Multiple warning signs appear, disguised in the form of everyday fatigue and muscle stiffness that one cannot particularly pinpoint to hip health. “The earliest signs of declining hip health, including but not limited to, are stiffness after sitting, reduced hip rotation, shorter walking stride, poor balance and reliance on the lower back or knees during movement,” says Dr Panchal. “Weak glute engagement is often an early indicator,” he adds.
Even the most dedicated gym-goers are often guilty of hip neglect. “Many routines ignore hip rotation, lateral movement and single-leg stability,” Dr Panchal notes. This limited range of motion often leads to compensatory movement in the spine, eventually resulting in tissue injury. To truly exercise the hips, we need to embrace variety.
Simple hip mobility exercises to get started with
The good news is that your hips are remarkably resilient if given the right stimulus. You don’t need a gruelling 90-minute session; 15 minutes of these hip mobility exercises is excellent for long-term, lasting results.
1. Deep squat hold
