What Are Side-Lying Hip Abduction Exercises?

Side lying hip abduction exercises may sound like they'd be complicated, but they're a lot more understandable than you'd think. They are simply exercises that you do lying on your side while moving one leg away from its normal, aligned orientation. These exercises are meant for strengthening your gluteus medius (your side butt) and your hips.

There are many reasons why strengthening these muscles is important. Some reasons include:

• Improves balance
• Improves mobility
• Prevents injury
• Helps create a smoother walking gait
• Decreases knee pain
• Decreases the chance of needing hip surgery
• Can decrease lower back pain
• Can decrease some types of foot pain

Some side lying hip abduction exercises are:

• Clam shells
• Leg lifts (watch this video for instructions)

If you want more instruction on how to safely and effectively perform these exercises, schedule an appointment with one of our physical therapists online or by calling our office at (206) 327-9880.

Sources:

1. Hickman, O. “Strengthen Your “Gluteus Medius” with Side-Lying Hip Abduction | Pain Science Physical Therapy”. Pain Science Physical Therapy. 2019-06-01.
2. Hickman, O. “Transcript: Strengthen Your ‘Gluteus Medius’ With Side-Lying Hip Abduction”. Pain Science Physical Therapy. 2019-12-06.
3. Dault, R., MPT. Strengthening Exercise Program for Low Back Pain Relief. Spine-Health. 2005-06-27.