How To Keep Your Hips Healthy

Healthy hipsHealthy hips are key to staying mobile and active. The following tips can help you keep your hips (and the rest of your body) moving.

Preventing Injuries

There are many steps you can take to keep your hips healthy and avoid injuries.

  • Make time for warming up, stretching, and cooling down whenever you exercise.
  • Exercise when you are well rested and when you’ve eaten enough to fuel your workout. Exercising when you are too hungry or exhausted can make it easier for you to make mistakes that lead to injuries.
  • Get enough calcium and vitamin D in your diet. These nutrients are important in keeping your joints healthy.
  • Cross train. Your exercise routine should be well rounded. Make time for cardio, weight lifting, and bodyweight exercises. Cross training allows you to give muscle groups a rest so that they don’t become fatigued. Cross training can also help you build strength and balance. Improving your strength and balance will help you avoid slips and falls that can lead to hip injuries.
  • Maintain a healthy weight. Extra weight puts pressure on your joints and increases your risk for needing hip replacement surgery. The best way to keep the extra pounds off is to stay active and eat a balanced diet of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean protien. Although it takes work, maintaining your weight is as simple as using all the calories you consume. If you are concerned about your weight, ask your doctor for help setting and reaching a healthy goal.

Treating Injuries

Hopefully you will be able to avoid hip injuries, but if you do injure your hip it essential to seek treatment as quickly as possible. The sooner an issue is treated, the better chance there is of minimizing the damage, correcting the problem, and preventing further injury. If you ignore an injured hip, the problem could become much worse.

Some injuries can be treated without surgery; other injuries require a minimally invasive procedure called hip arthroscopy. In extreme cases, hip replacement may be necessary. If you’d like to learn more about treatments for hip injuries, contact Dr. William Murrell.