7 Exercises to Help Hikers with Hip Pain

Alicia Filley
Aug 17
2 min read

Do you experience lateral hip pain when hiking uphill, climbing, or going up stairs? This common problem in hikers is often caused by gluteal tendinopathy, a result of overuse and stress on the gluteal tendons. Management of this condition includes exercise, education, steroid injections, platelet-rich plasma injections, or a wait-and-see approach.

Female hiker hiking uphill in the mountains using poles.

The Benefits of Exercise

A study in the British Journal of Medicine found exercise and education about load management more effective in relieving gluteal tendinopathy pain than steroid injections or a wait-and-see approach. Exercise strengthens the muscles, and loading a tendon through exercise actually contributes to better tendon healing. Start with isometric exercises and progress to eccentric ones to help the tendon return to health.

Sample Exercise Program

(Disclaimer: Be sure to consult with your doctor or physical therapist before starting any exercise program.)

The following is a sample protocol to follow if you're experiencing lateral hip pain when you hike.

Week 1	Static Supine Abduction	Hold for 5 seconds for 5-10 reps, 2-3 times per day
Week 2-3	Static Supine Abduction Double Leg Bridge	Hold each exercise for 3-5 seconds and perform 5-10 reps, 2 times per day
Week 4-6	Single Leg Bridge Mini Band Squat Single Leg Chair Squat	Hold each exercise for 5 seconds, perform 10 reps every other day
Week 7-8	Single Leg Chair Squat Lateral Walk with Mini Band Forward Lunge	Perform 10 reps of each exercise, for 2 sets, every other day

Prevention

Prevention requires a training schedule that ensures you're building strength and endurance without overstressing your body. Once your pain is decreased, you'll need to follow a regular training program that prepares you for hiking. Training with The Healthy Hiker can help prevent hiking injuries. Schedule your consultation today to find out how you can be strong, confident, and prepared for a hiking adventure!

2 Comments

cecax63939

Nov 01

Really enjoyed this post! The seven targeted exercises you’ve laid out are so helpful for hikers who often battle hip pain — the step-by-step breakdown makes them easy to follow and apply on or off the trail.

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Edited

Casual Carats

Oct 07

👍